How come you never saw me?
by xxproflupinxx
Summary: Lily and James were friends their first year at Hogwarts, but James droppped her when he found someone new.Their 4th year,Lily changes her look and he starts to notice her again(he never forget her),but she was still really hurt,will she forgive him?
1. Chapter One: Beginning

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Harry Potter, except my own characters. Although I would like to one of these days...*starts daydreaming* You just wait world! I will own Harry Potter one of these days AND be the first woman president! You just wait! MUAH-HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! DUN-DUN-DUN....  
  
  
  
Lily sighed slightly as she slowly studied herself in her full-length mirror. She had changed quite a bit during the summer after her 3rd school year at Hogwarts, and there was defiantly no changing it, no matter what.  
  
Not that she minded to something different. Maybe it was what she needed to get someone to notice her, and want to be friends with her, maybe even someone of the opposite sex would be nice, but she seriously doubted that that would happen.  
  
She had had only one friend of the opposite sex, and that had been James Potter. She even had a little bit of a crush on him, and met him on the Hogwarts train, where he told her all about the wizarding world: Quidditch, magic, Hogsmeade, elves, etc. But, then after meeting a new friend, he just dropped her like nothing had ever happened. In the back of her mind, she knew that it was going to happen. But she went against her gut, and stayed friends with him. Even though she was prepared physically for that day, she was not prepared emotionally, and therefore, it tore her apart inside. For a long time afterwards that year, she would sometimes catch herself crying to sleep.  
  
But that was then, this is now. About three years have passed, and she was definitely over him.  
  
A week before the school started, she decided she needed to get her school supplies for the upcoming year, and decided to go along with her cousin, Chocolate, to Diagon Alley.  
  
"Oh, come on, Lily! Please!" Chocolate begged on her knees, firmly attached to Lily's legs.  
  
"Get off, Chaco. I will not wear it, and most defiantly not wear that stuff!" Lily replied, pointing in disgust at her bed, which had a short black mini skirt with tight peasant blouse, and a number of makeup utilities.  
  
"But dear! Don't you want people, especially boys, to notice you? I mean, you are very beautiful, but you hide it behind those 2 sizes too big robes and no makeup. Plus, boys notice girls when they have short skirts on." Chocolate pleaded again.  
  
"I don't want guys to stare at my legs OR my chest. I have better qualities than that. Like, intellect. But anyways, I said, no, and that's final! Now, let's go, I have a lot of stuff to buy today." Lily said, grabbing her shoulder-bag, filled with wizard money.  
  
Chocolate sighed and gathered her purse as well. "Okay, okay. Whatever you say. I have to get a quite a few things as well." Chocolate replied.  
  
"Floo Powder?" Lily asked.  
  
"Sure," Chocolate added, and ran to get some of it. When she returned, she walked next to Lily, and handed her some. "Okay, Lily....Can I just do some foundation atleast?"  
  
Lily just gave a glare at Chocolate before throwing the powder into the fire. "DIAGON ALLEY!" _________________________  
  
"Why not, Lily? Please, please, please, please, please!" Chocolate began to beg again.  
  
"Absolutely not, Chaco. Sure, I do want people to notice me, but I don't think I need make-up and a short mini skirt, along with that blouse to do so," Lily replied, and the next thing she knew she was something hard, colliding with her and knocking her to the ground.  
  
"Ow!" she yelped, landing painfully on her foot.  
  
"Sorry..."the boy mumbled before seeing Chocolate. "Oh, Chocolate baby. Your looking mighty sexy today." Not even bothering to help Lily up.  
  
What the nerve, Lily thought, wondering who the boy was. All she saw was his glasses, but that was all she needed to see.  
  
James Potter.  
  
Chocolate bent down, helping up her cousin up. "Hey James," she said, smiling. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Just getting my school supplies. What's such a hot and sexy, person like yourself doing here?" James whispered, trying to seduce her.  
  
"Just getting my school supplies, as well," Chocolate replied, giggling and blushed slightly.  
  
"Well,, I hope you didn't forget me over the summer, babe."  
  
"Of course not. But I have to get going...Lots to buy." Chocolate smiled.  
  
"Sure, baby. See you at Hogwarts." James replied, kissing her on the cheek before walking away.  
  
"Uh, Chaco...." Lily began.  
  
Just as she thought. Someone who made all the difference in the world to her at one point or another, made it click in Lily's head that she needed not to wear short skirts, but improve her image.  
  
"Yes?" Chocolate's smile got even larger, as she knew what she was going to ask.  
  
"Remember what you earlier wanted to do to me?"  
  
"Yes?" Chocolate's smile got even wider and bigger.  
  
"Do it. Whatever it takes." Lily winced at the thought of what she was going to let her cousin do to her, but if it meant people noticing her, then it would be well worth the effort. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
  
  
  
AN: So....this is bascially my first fanfic that I actually wrote more than one page for....I hope it is good...Probably not.....I would really like it if people would review and tell me how to be a better writer, or tell me what is good about it or bad about it...Please....*puppy dog eyes* 


	2. Chapter Two: The new look

*Departure of the Hogwarts train*  
  
James sat down by the train window, and started to look at all the ladies that went by. He smile to himself when he thought of how many of them he would either date, lay, or make-out with.  
  
"Hey Prongs!" a male voice said. James turned his head and it was Remus(Moony).  
  
"Hey Moony! How was your summer? Get any ladies?" A hand slapped across Remus's back. It was Sirius.  
  
"Hi Padfoot, and no. I was stuck at home with my parents all summer. It totally sucked.!"  
  
"Oh, sorry man." James replied, giving him their secret handshake.  
  
"What about you, Jamie? Any ladies?" Sirius asked, taking a seat across from Remus and James.  
  
"Of course. Tons. Nothing serious though. Where's the fun in that?" James said, "Please don't call me Jamie, Sirius."  
  
"Okay! Touchy-Touchy!" exclaimed Sirius, who started to eat some Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans.  
  
"Ew! How can you eat that? Last time I ate one of those it turned out to be earwax!" another voice piped in. This time it was Wormtail(Peter).  
  
"Ah, Peter. And how did your summer go?" Sirius asked, "Any ladies?"  
  
"Not really," Peter added, with a hint of a smile playing at the corner of his mouth.  
  
" 'Not really'? What do you mean 'Not really'? Okay, Wormtail, spill your guts, or we'll do it for you," James said, with a mischievous grin.  
  
"I'll tell you guys later on when-"Peter was talking, but stopped abruptly and went straight to the train window.  
  
"Peter, what are you-" Remus said, then he also stopped at the view from their window.  
  
It was a young woman, maybe their age, with fire-red mid-back length hair. She wore a knee-length skirt, and a black low V-neck top, which clung to her curves nicely.  
  
"Who is that?" Sirius replied, drooling over James.  
  
"Ew! Sirius! Watch where your drooling at!" James said, keeping his eyes upon this woman. "Man, she is hot!"  
  
Just then, Chocolate jumped off the train, grabbed her wrist, and pulled her onto the train.  
  
"Hey, let's go and find her!" James suggested who was already halfway out of the compartment door.  
  
After doing 30 minutes of searching, they finally found her compartment.  
  
"Well, hello girls." James and Sirius chimed together at the same time, taking the unclaimed next to Chocolate and Lily. James next to Lily, and Sirius next to Chocolate.  
  
James sat down next to Lily, who a had a book she was reading eye level. 'I wonder if he even recognises who I am,' Lily thought, 'Probably not.'  
  
"So..who is this fine young lady?" James said, turning towards Lily, who hadn't removed her book from her face.  
  
"James, this is Lily Evans," Chocolate said, waiting to see his surprise. Chocolate was the only one, besides Lily, who knew what had happened between the two.  
  
And, well, she got her surprised look from James, who had a dumb-founded look on his face.  
  
Without removing her book, stuck out her hand. "Pleased to meet you, James."  
  
James slowly but surely took Lily's hand and shook it.  
  
"Uh...Lily?" James said, slowly.  
  
"Hm?"  
  
"Do you remember me?" James asked, wishing she would remove her book from her face.  
  
As if reading his mind, she slowly lowered her book from her face, and James just sat there in awe and wonder.  
  
He came into contact with the most beautiful forest green eyes that he had ever seen, which they also seemed to have a sort-of twinkle to them.  
  
He was also glad that he saw them for that one brief second because the next second, that twinkling light that had shown was gone, and hey eyes were now dark and glazed over.  
  
Lily looked him over, top to bottom. "Yes, I do. You were the one guy who knocked me to the ground at Diagon Alley, and didn't bother to help me up."  
  
James's mouth kind-of gaped open. If he only knew that it had been her, he would of. James was about to say something, but was interrupted by Remus and Peter, and 2 other girls, who were friends with Chocolate and Lily.  
  
"Oh, sorry. Didn't know it was full, the girls replied and began to turn away.  
  
"No, Lana. Wait. I want to finish this book, and can't do it with people around me, so you girls can take these seats."  
  
"Thanks Lily."  
  
"No problem." Lily smiled, and then her smile turned almost instantly into a frown, "Nice to see you again, Potter. Now, if you'll excuse me?"  
  
Lily got up and left to find an compartment that was empty.  
  
When Lily left the compartment, James and the other Marauders went to leave and follow her.  
  
"James..."Chocolate said, quickly grabbing James's wrist. "If you hurt her in any way, physically or emotionally, I swear I will hunt you down and make you the opposite gender. She's been through too much stuff. She's still hurting since the first year."  
  
"Why?" Sirius asked.  
  
Chocolate looked slightly up at James. "I wonder." Chocolate said.  
  
James just sat there for a moment, and then it hit him.  
  
She was still in pain from me dumping her as a friend, when I found a new one, and he almost immediately regretted it after he had done it because he did have a small crush on her at the time, but he was scared. He didn't know that he was hurting her. He thought she didn't feel the same way at all.  
  
"Follow me," James replied, a few minutes later.  
  
"What was that all about, Jamie?" Sirius asked again.  
  
James explained everything, about how they used to be friends, and everything.  
  
After he finished, there was a paused silence.  
  
"Wow," Remus said, patting James's back, "Good luck."  
  
"Good luck with what?" James added.  
  
"Well, your going to patch things up, aren't you?" Remus continued.  
  
"Well...I don't know. I don't even know if she wants to see me, much less be friends with me again or not..."  
  
"Not want to be friends with you? Being friends is a given. I was talking about something more. Like, sex, dating her, sex..."Sirius said, with an evil grin to his face.  
  
"Sirius! Sometimes sex isn't everything." he replied.  
  
"Whoa," Sirius said, slightly shocked. "Sex isn't everything? That's a new one."  
  
"You must really like her, don't you? Why didn't you meet up with her sooner?" Remus, added.  
  
"Because I never saw her. I knew she was in Gryffindor with us, but never saw her. I have been trying to find her for the past years, but to no avail. I always seem to miss her somehow." James said.  
  
"Have you tried your classes?" Peter added, trying to add something to the conversation.  
  
"Whenever I would look for her, she'd be gone somewhere. And whenever I forgot to look for her, she apparently was there. Just my luck, I guess." James added.  
  
"Well, let's not lose her again," Remus said, walking down the train hallway.  
  
They all agreed and started down the hallway behind Remus. ****  
  
A few minutes later, she finally found an empty compartment, and got to read 2 pages before being interrupted again.  
  
Lily lowered her book to find the Marauders. She sighed deeply, slightly annoyed. 'Won't they just leave me alone?' she thought, replacing the book infront of her face.  
  
"What'ca reading?" James, said, snatching the book out of her hands.  
  
"Do you mind? I'd like to be rather alone." Lily replied, anger slowly gathering behind her green eyes.  
  
Remus must of noticed this and whispered something to Sirius, who both, in turn, slowly made their way out of the compartment, with Peter soon following.  
  
Lily made a grab for her book, but he made it just out of her reach, so instead she started to kick his shins.  
  
"Hey! Ow! Ouch! Stop...Ouch!" James yelped at the redhead's kicks until he gave her back her book. "You didn't have to kick so hard."  
  
Lily just glared at him, and sat back down at her seat. She found her page she was at and started reading again.  
  
James looked around and noticed that they were both alone. James thought to himself that he might as well attempt to patch things up between them, that is, if it was possible to do so.  
  
"Uh...Lily?" he asked politely.  
  
No answer or reply, except for their breathing.  
  
He tried again. "Lily? Please I want to say I am sorry for everything that I have done to you...I didn't know that you had really cared that much for me when we first met..I really am truly sorry...I want to be friends with you again, if it is possible to do so anymore." James said, realising that he truly was.  
  
He didn't want to patch things up just because of her new "look" or anything. he had never stopped liking her from day one, even if he never saw her for almost 2 and a half years...it didn't matter....  
  
Slowly, the book came down, but the dark look in her green eyes was still there.  
  
He looked straight at them, and saw hurt, loneliness, betrayal. He winced.  
  
"I want to believe you, James. I really do. But I can't. You must understand. Things just don't change over the course of one day. I can't help but think the only reason you want to be 'friends' again is to get into my pants. Just like every other girl that comes your way. Especially since this 'change' I went through recently. That makes me feel that that is the only reason you want to be friends again...because of the way I look..."Lily, replied, trailing off.  
  
"Lily, please..I don't-" James began but Lily cut him off.  
  
"Please...just leave...I need to be alone..." Lily answered, her eyes cast down but there were tears flowing.  
  
"But Lily..." James pleaded.  
  
"OUT!!" Lily screamed, putting her face into her hands.  
  
James looked her over, wanting to confront her, but it wasn't the time nor the place.  
  
He made his way to the compartment door, and had one more look at the sulked figure in the compartment before leaving.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~******************~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~****************~~~~~~  
  
~~~~One Hour Later~~~~  
  
Lily had fallen asleep, and was being shaken awake by a brown-haired girl. It was Chocolate.  
  
"Hey girlie! Have a nice nap? The train arrives in 20 minutes, so we might need to start getting ready," Chocolate said, smiling.  
  
"Okey-Dokey." Lily answered, smiling, in a way better mood than before.  
  
"So....what happened back then? I mean, when you left and the Marauders following you? Something I might have to kick their asses for?" Chocolate said, hopefully.  
  
Lily explained everything. "No, I don't think you'll have to kick their asses..yet. Whatever happens these following days will determine if their asses need some kicking."  
  
"Yeah! I hope so. I have been practising my kick-boxing, which is a muggle martial art. It might come in handy one day if I don't have a wand with me at the time," Chocolate added, imitating crappy karate moves.  
  
Lily laughed as they made their way up to the front of the train with Lily's mood suddenly lifted towards the better, and hopefully it would stay that way for a while. 


	3. Chapter Three: New friend

Disclamer: I own nothing of Harry Potter and incoporated...except the black and white tuxedo-wearing penguins. :). ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Heya, man. What all happened in there?" Sirius asked, curiously.  
  
"Well....I told her I was sorry for everything that I had done to her, and said that I would like to be friends with her again," James replied.  
  
"Well?"  
  
"And well, she started crying and told me that a person's feelings can't change over the course of one day. She thought since her 'look' changed, that that was the only reason I wanted to be friends with her again."  
  
"Well?"  
  
"Well what?"  
  
"IS that why you did it? Just because of her changed look?" Remus asked.  
  
"No. To be honest, I have always liked her, even if I never saw her for almost 3 years. I didn't need to see her to say I liked her." James said, looking at his hands.  
  
"Wow," was all they could say.  
  
"Yeah. I know it's not like me, but something's different about her. I know it the day I met her. But of course, I had to blow that up as well. I just wish...I just wish I could go back and change everything I messed up." James said, sadly.  
  
"Well, I am sad to say you can't, but that doesn't mean you can't make things right in the future," Remus said, thoughtfully.  
  
James gave a little smirk. "I guess your right. Well, we have a half-hour 'till we get there at Hogwarts, so let's do some pranks on some unsuspecting Slytherins," James said, trying to get his mood better.  
  
Sirius then started bouncing up and down in his seat. "Yeah! Yah! What are we gonna do? What are we gonna do? What are we gonna do? What are we gonna do? What are we gonna do?"  
  
"Whoa. Calm down, boy." James said, in silent laughter.  
  
James got up and got down a kit that said "EMERGENCY PRANKS" in red letters on it. "You decide. I am going to sit here alone to think for a bit."  
  
The rest of the Marauders shrugged, and then ran out of the compartment, ready to create some havoc on the Slytherins.  
  
James just sat there in his seat, thinking.  
  
So, she did have a crush on me. And I tore both of our hearts apart at the same time. She really wanted me as a friend. And I blew it.  
  
James made a fist, and punched the wall hard, when the intercom came on. "Arrival in 10 minutes. Arrival in 10 minutes. Those not already dressed in their school uniform, please do so now."  
  
James got up and went to change into his robes in the boy's restroom.  
  
When he returned, the other Marauders were already there and dressed.  
  
"How did the pranks go?" James asked, trying to get in a better mood before the train stopped.  
  
"Great! Well, Wormtailise here, got cold feet at every last minute of every prank, and never joined in, but we some pretty good ones. We'll fill you in at supper." Remus said, tying his right shoe.  
  
"Okay. That's fine with me," James said, wondering where Lily and Chocolate where going to sit at the House table(they were both in Gryffindor). Hopefully somewhere's close by.  
  
As the four boys left the train and walked towards the horseless carriages, they all looked back at the group of first-years sort-of all huddled together.  
  
Each one of the boys, except Peter, sniggered at the thought of the poor first-year Slytherins.  
  
James looked up just in time to see a redhead walk past their carriage right behind them.  
  
James kept sneaking peeks at the carriage from the corner of his eyes whenever he could, and suddenly noticed that his stomach was growling nosily. He remembered that he hadn't eaten anything on the train.  
  
The other Marauder's stomachs were growling too, except for Peter's, who was always the first one to hunt down the food cart before the train even started moving.  
  
"Man, I'm hungry! I could eat a whole cow!" exclaimed James.  
  
"A what?" Sirius asked, dumb-founded.  
  
"Never mind." he replied, seeing the castle lights in the distance. "Finally."  
  
As they approached the castle entrance, they saw the first years getting into the boats, getting ready to take them up to the main castle doors, where they would begin their first year at Hogwarts by getting sorted into the house by the Sorting Hat.  
  
James smiled slightly as he remembered that day as if it were yesterday.  
  
~FLASHBACK~  
  
"I hope we get into the same house," Lily replied, not able to keep still.  
  
"Me too," James replied and took her hand.  
  
Lily smiled, and looked at her hand.  
  
"Just to keep you still. Your making me dizzy with all your moving," James said, chuckling.  
  
As they walked into the main hallway, they were filled with awe.  
  
Floating candles were surrounding them, as they looked up, they gasped to see there was no ceiling, it was the image of the sky. Well, there WAS a ceiling, you could still the outline, but not too many noticed it.  
  
As they made their way to the front of the room, they all wondered how they were going to be sorted. Some said they would have to fight a troll. Some said you had to show off what spells you already knew.  
  
"I wonder what it will be...I don't know how to fight a troll, and I only know a few simple spells, like repairing something small, like, for example, glasses." Lily said, wiping her hands on her clean black robes.  
  
"Don't worry, Lils. You'll do just fine. Just don't panic too much." James said, trying to confront her.  
  
"I'll try." Lily said, as they stopped walking when they reached the front of the room.  
  
"Before we begin, I would like to introduce and welcome our new headmaster, Professor Dumbledore, and me, Professor McGonagall, who will fill in for your last Transfiguration teacher, Mr. Dowley, who unfortunately tried to change into a dog, but it went wrong, and he died. Anywhen. Now, when I call your name, please come forth, I will set the Sorting Hat upon your head, and it will decide where to put you." a dark-brown haired woman said, her hair in a tight bun.  
  
Many students looked at each other, with many of them with relief washing over them and sighing very deeply.  
  
Just as the commotion within the first years ended, they saw a most spectacular(a little but scary) sight they have ever seen before. The hat was moving!  
  
Just then, the Hat had a small mouth, and it started saying a sort-of song.  
  
" Oh, you may think I'm not pretty, But don't judge on what you see, I'll eat myself if you can find a smarter hat than me. You can keep your bowlers black, Your top hates sleek and tall, For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat And I can cap them all. There's nothing hidden inside your head The Sorting Hat can't see, So try me on and I will tell you Where you ought to be. You might belong in Gryffindor, Where dwell the brave at heart, Their daring, nerve, and chivalry Set Gryffindors apart; You might belong in Hufflepuff, Where they are just and loyal, Those patient Hufflepuffs are true And unafraid of toil; Or yet in wise old Racenclaw, If you've a ready mind, Where those of wit and learning, Will always find their kind; Or perhaps in Slytherin You'll make your real friends, Those cunning folk use any means To achieve their ends. So put me on! Don't be afraid! And don't get into a flap! You're in safe hands(thought I have none) For I'm a Thinking Cap!"  
  
James and Lily looked eachother quickly and gulped.  
  
"Evans, Lily!" she yelled out.  
  
Lily looked at James one last time before slowly walking towards the stool where she was supposed to sit at, with Professor McGonagall holding a scroll in one hand and the hat in the other.  
  
When she had settled down, she felt the hat go over her eyes and ears. Then she heard a small voice.  
  
"Hmmm....nice...right then....good mind you have....plenty of courage I see....You like chocolate? Well, if I had a stomach, I would like it too....Loyal...Rather sensitive...Okay...I have just the house....GRYFFINDOR!"  
  
The hat was off her head, mouthed 'Good Luck' to James when she went past him to sit at the Gryffindor table.  
  
Finally about ten minutes later, it finally got to James.  
  
"Potter, James!" she yelled out.  
  
James went up to the stool and sat down, and Professor put the Sorting Hat onto his head.  
  
"Well, let's see here..Not a bad mind you have here, son...Plenty of courage, I see, Willingness to learn, but not to study, I can see. Never been to keen at studying, eh? No matter. I have a perfect house for such a great mind like yourself....GRYFFINDOR!"  
  
James smiled, glad it was the same house as Lily.  
  
He kind-of half-walked, half-ran and took a seat Lily had saved him across from her.  
  
"See? I told you not to panic." Lily said, smiling.  
  
James cocked an eyebrow at her before laughing.  
  
They both looked down at their plates and gasped. It was no longer empty but filled to the brim of their golden plates with the most delicious food they had ever seen.  
  
They looked back up at eachother and smiling a very big smile before digging face-first into their plates.  
  
~END FLASHBACK~  
  
"What are you smiling about, Jamie?" Sirius asked, looking at him sideways, like a dog would.  
  
"Oh. Nothing." James replied, but couldn't stop smiling at the memory.  
  
"Attention everyone. Jamie here has officially lost his mind and sanity...if it was ever there in the first place." Sirius announced laughing, patting his friend's back.  
  
"First, don't call me Jamie, Siriu-poo. Second, I was thinking about the past years, the first year in particular."  
  
"I see," Sirius said unsurely, jokingly still thinking that he had still lost his mind.  
  
James laughed and shook his head slightly as they left the carriages and went into the castle.  
  
It was the same as always. The first table to the left was the Slytherin table, then the Hufflepuff table, then the Gryffindor table, followed by the Racenclaw table.  
  
At the front of the room was the teacher's table, which was already filled with most of all the teachers.  
  
The students went there different ways to their respective house tables.  
  
The four Marauders made their way to the Gryffindor table, and sat down towards the end of the table.  
  
James, after settling down, quickly turned around and started looking around himself to see if Lily had come in already.  
  
After not finding her after about 10 minutes, he turned back around into his seat, slightly upset that he could not find her.  
  
He nearly shrieked and almost fell out of her seat when he turned around because there she was, sitting across from him.  
  
He just sat there looking at her intently, mouth open slightly.  
  
"Uh....hi?" Lily said cautiously, raising an eyebrow.  
  
James closed his mouth and smiled. "Uh, sorry....hi...I was looking for you, but you were here infront of me the whole time....That was kind-of freaky." James said.  
  
Lily kind-of nodded her head slightly. "I see," Lily said, slightly uncomfortable.  
  
James noticed this, and knew that he couldn't push it too far.  
  
James was the first to say anything. "Ok. Lily, I have a deal. Neither one of us will try to make the other person to think their way of thinking. Only one deal, we have to be friends. Not best friends, just friends. In, let's say, in about a month before graduation, nothing has really changed since, well...since tomorrow , we'll stay out of each other's way and not be friends."  
  
Lily just kind-of stared at him, her eyes lighter than usual, no twinkling light, but not as dark as before. She was obviously thinking seriously about what he had said.  
  
'Friends? Me and James? Again?...I just don't know...Well, what do I have to lose? I've already lost everything once before, so, I might as well...' Lily thought to herself.  
  
"Deal?" James said, wishing he could just sit there and stare into her serene green eyes.  
  
"Deal."  
  
"Really?" James said, taken aback. He never thought that she would agree to it.  
  
Lily nodded firmly, sealing the deal. "There's just one thing I want you to follow..."  
  
"Anything."  
  
"If I tell you I don't want to tell you something, you have to respect my wishes." Lily replied.  
  
"That's it?"  
  
"Yes, but at times, it might seem hard." Lily said, quietly.  
  
James nodded. "I understand."  
  
He knew what she meant when she asked and said it. He had asked the same thing to his best friends. He could tell them anything, but there were just some things he liked keeping to himself. Sometimes, he didn't want to, but it could maybe affect the people's way that they looked at him. He didn't know if it would be for better or worse. He'd rather not tell anyone, than risk the pain and hurt he might would receive if the reactions to the things within his own mind were bad.  
  
"Are you alright?" a voice said, knocking James out of his trance.  
  
"Uh, yeah. Sure." James said, turning towards the voice. It was a girl by the name of Rita. She had white-blond hair and baby-blue eyes. She was naturally very pretty, but dumb as a door-knob. She had been head over heels for James ever since she had first seen him. Mind you, she was in her last year at Hogwarts.  
  
"So....Jamiesie..got a girlfriend?" Rita asked, twirling a piece of her hair within her fingers. Everybody knew that she was wondering if she or if she shouldn't go after him, since this was her last year. Even if he did tell her that he was taken, she probably would still go after him, just for the sake of it.  
  
"Uh..No, Rita. Not yet." James said, wishing the Sorting Ritual would start so they could eat and got to bed. He just didn't feel like putting up with her tonight, much less any other night.  
  
"Well, isn't that convient? I don't have a boyfriend, either. Coincidence, don't you think?" Rita said, smiling, setting a hand on James's shoulder.  
  
James tried to shrug her off, but to no avail.  
  
"Well, don't you think we should give it a go? I mean, I've known you since my 4th year....Why not?" Rita said, leaning in, trying to seduce him.  
  
He tried once again to shrug her off, and this time he succeeded. "Well, the Sorting Ritual starting. Might need to go to your respective house, Rita."  
  
"Bye, sugar. Come visit me sometime." Rita answered, waving. James did not return smile nor wave.  
  
When he turned around, the whole table/house was staring at him, which his closet friends, even including Lily, were rolling on the ground with laughter.  
  
"Hey. That wasn't funny." James said, slightly annoyed.  
  
"Yeah. I'm sorry, Prongsie-man. That wasn't funny." Remus said, seriously. For a second.  
  
Remus peeked a look at Lily, who then both started cracking up again.  
  
"Hey. That's still not funny." James started but stopped short when he saw the back doors open, followed by Professor McGonagall, with about 50 kids trailing behind her.  
  
The first years sort-of looked in mixture of awe and frightment at the sky above them.  
  
James also looked up to see the was sort-of pink with an aura of orange-red to it, littered here and there with stars. Reminds me of something. Lily.  
  
James turned his head towards her slightly and smiled.  
  
Lily caught him looking at her and she turned her head towards him and gave him a half-smile.  
  
James turned back around just in time to see the Sorting Hat starting his regular song.  
  
By the time everyone got sorted, 15 people went to Slytherin, 10 to Hufflepuff, 11 to Gryffindor, and 8 went to Ravenclaw.  
  
Dumbledore then stood up, told the newest announcements, and then said, "Let the feast begin."  
  
They all looked instinctually down at their plates, and was astonished at all the good food that was infront of them, ready to be eaten. No matter how many times they went to Hogwarts, it was always the most delicious food they had ever set their eyes on. Or maybe it was because they would never eat anything on the train.  
  
Lily and James smiled very big, and looked up at eachother at the same time.  
  
Then, it hit them. That was just the way they had looked at each other on their first night at Hogwarts, their first year.  
  
They just kind-of shrugged, and Lily laughed, making James laugh as well. Then they remembered the food and started piling the food onto their shiny golden plates.  
  
After dinner, Lily excused herself and left the hall.  
  
But before leaving, she turned around, just at the doors, looking over her friends, plus her "new friends", and noticed how happy they seemed to be, together.  
  
'Just like it once was,' Lily thought, sighing slightly before smiling. 'Good...'  
  
"It's good to be home." Lily said, before leaving.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
AN: Okay....I have to say I have writer's block...to a max....I have two pages written out for the fourth chapter and that's it.....I like to have atleast 10 to consider it a chapter....So....please....I am begging you....e-mail me.....send me a reviem....give me some ideas......pLeAsE! Anything! I beg of you! *crawls on flooor towards you and grabs onto your leg* Not letting you go until you do. :) 


	4. Author Notes

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Harry Potter and incorporated. I wish I did though.... :*(  
  
A/N: Okay....I have decided to not delete it..yet. And I have also decided to not change any of the chapters until I get atleast 2 more chapters written. But, starting from this story, there are a few minor changes. First, they are in their 6th year, not their 4th year...I don't really know what I was thinking when I wrote that. Second, as you can probably tell they are 16-17 years old....Also, I took heed off what IDon'tKnow said about a few things, and I will change them, I will atleast do this chapter and start revising the chapters. I hope that sounds good....I know I scared you all....Atleast One person....and I hope I won't anymore....P.S. I have also decided to not add alot of conflict, like people trying to break them up(maybe a little bit, but not alot), one because I am not good at it like Yvette and FireAngel is...Oh, well....Never know..I don't even know how this story will basically turn out...Well, until then, well just see. :)...P.S. There is reference to the Barney song("I luv you") in this chapter, and in MY world/story, Barney existed...He is after all a dinosaur.....Satan more like it...  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
About a few weeks later, her, Chocolate, and the Marauders were slowly getting to know each other. They tried to find out simple things about each other, like what each other liked and didn't like, their fears, etc. After one tiring day, Lily entered the 6th year girls room, her stuff already neatly laid out onto her bed for the night. She sighed happily as she went over to the bed that had been hers since the first night there.  
  
Lily started to get undressed to put her night clothes on, but decided she wanted to read some.  
  
She got her book, and went down stairs to their Common Room, and sat down into a chair surrounding the warm fire.  
  
Lily stretched slightly before opening her newest Muggle book, 'Sense and Sensibility' by Jane Austin.  
  
She read two chapters before being interrupted. It was James.  
  
"Hey," James said, settling down into a chair across from her.  
  
"Hey," Lily replied, smiling slightly. She did not know whether she should start back reading again or talk to James.  
  
James interrupted her thoughts by saying something first. "Lily?"  
  
"Hm?"  
  
" I know it is already too late to ask you this, but...were you really meaning it when you wanted to be friends with me? And not just saying that, and then going to drop me like I did to you?" James asked, almost whispering. Lily heard him gulp, but could tell he was trying to keep it quiet.  
  
Lily sighed quietly. "Yes, James. I did mean it when I said I wanted to try and be friends with you again. And the answer to your last question is No, I am not just saying that just to get back at you. But, I don't know if you knew it, but it was hard, really hard."  
  
James nodded his head. "I know....and I know that we said that were not going to try and get the other to think what the other persons' way of thinking, but I just wanted to make sure you understood one thing that I don't think I made very clear."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"That I am really truly sorry. I really had no absolute idea of the way you felt of me, at the time. I know you don't anymore, but I am sorry for the pain I caused you. I was a very big asshole, wait...I still am..yet, the point is, if I could take it back, I would in a blink of an eye." James said, now whispering, looking down at his open hands.  
  
Lily nodded and simply said, "I know you are. I...I just don't know how long it will take for that side of me that doesn't to trust you...but I do know that it is possible..." Lily smiled slightly.  
  
James looked up and returned the smile gently. "I know."  
  
Lily still liked him, somewhere did within her heart. But that was also the part that she lost contact with a long time ago.  
  
James then got up and kissed her forehead. "Goodnight, Lils."  
  
Lily blushed. "Goodnight, Jamiesie," Lily said, remembering what Rita had called him a few weeks ago at the Sorting Ceremony.  
  
James cocked an eyebrow at her and said, before leaving, "Now you better not start that too. I already have to put up with the Marauders."  
  
Lily smiled and waved. "Count on it."  
  
James pointed his finger at her before disappearing up the stairs.  
  
Lily chuckled before getting up to leave and left the Common Room to her own room to get some sleep.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The next day when Lily awoke, it was a hour before they normally got up, and starting to getting ready for the day ahead.  
  
Lily decided that she was going to test James and the rest of the Marauders(atleast Sirius and Remus) (((A/N: I know Peter is a Marauder, but I never knew him too well, so he will not be in alot of my stories))), by not putting on any types of skirts, and wearing no makeup. Bare face and pants all the way. Just like before.  
  
If they still noticed and talked to her like normally, then she would then know that they were sincere. If not, then she would know that they were not.  
  
Lily left the Common Room about the same time she usually did. She usually left with Chocolate but Chocolate was meeting up with some of her friends with Ravenclaw.  
  
About 10 minutes later, she saw hide nor hair of any of the Marauders.  
  
'They were supposed to meet me here about five minutes ago...they probably passed right by me...'she thought, her heart began to slowly sink into her chest, 'so, it WAS really just because of the way I...' Her thoughts were suddenly cut short.  
  
"LILY!! WAIT!!"  
  
Lily jumped in surprise and quickly spun around.  
  
It was James, closely followed by Sirius and Remus, who all three seemed to be out of breath.  
  
When they reached her, they had to stop and lean on each other, so that they could catch their breath.  
  
"Hi?" Lily asked.  
  
After catching their breath, James looked up at her and smiled. "Hi," he replied.  
  
She wasn't really expecting that. She was expecting something like a disgusted look, and 'What did you do?' But, he nor the others did or said that. In fact, they were slightly smiling.  
  
"Why'd you all run after me?" Lily asked.  
  
"Two reasons." Remus panted, able to get a few words out.  
  
"And those were?"  
  
"One, we wanted to sit next and with you." Sirius said, smiling.  
  
"Two, we wanted to sit next and with you," James added, grabbing Lily's right arm. "Where's Chocolate?"  
  
"Oh, she went to meet up with a few friends in Ravenclaw. She wanted to say she was sorry, but she had already promised that she was."  
  
"The Traitor," Sirius joked, laughing. Sirius then grabbed Lily's left arm, Remus took ahold of Sirius's left arm, and they started skipping(with Lily just kind-of running along) and they were singing a mixture of songs. "I luv you" Barney song from Remus, "100 bottles of butterbeer on the wall" from Sirius, Lily just saying "I don't know these people", and "Tiptoe Through the Tulips" from James.  
  
All the way, even though Lily was claiming 'not to know them', she was smiling, just due to the fact that they hadn't dumped her at the first sign of her appearance.  
  
When they reached the Great Hall (((a/n: or is it Dining Hall?))), Lily thought they were going to stop and go in normally.  
  
That surely wasn't the case.  
  
They burst through the doors, still singing at the top of their lungs until they reached their seats at the Gryffindor table.  
  
When they stopped, they were greeted by the sound of applause, with Professor Dumbledore probably clapping the hardest.  
  
Remus, Sirius, and James all bowed, while Lily sank down into her chair, smiling, yet blushing like the colour of her fire-red hair.  
  
"Oh, Come on, Lily. Say something." Sirius said, pulling her to her feet.  
  
"I don't know these people. Really, I don't." Lily said, sitting back down.  
  
While the occupants of the room were laughing, all three of the Marauders fell backwards, with their hands covering their hearts, as if in pain. "Aw, Lily. You hurt us, Lily. You hurt us."  
  
Lily sweetly at them and then turned back towards her plate.  
  
When they recovered from their initial heart break, joined her at the table. Remus next to Lily, James and Sirius across from them.  
  
"So, how's life?" Remus asked, turning his head towards Lily.  
  
(((A/N: In my story, I know it doesn't make since but they haven't received their REAL schedule yet for their classes...for those weeks they were getting to know each other, they were taking classes where they were refreshing their memories about they learned the year before...hope it makes since)))  
  
Lily just sort-of shrugged. "I don't know yet. And that's because I haven't received my schedule yet. And as you can remember we got to choose what classes we wanted to."  
  
"Oh, yes. That's right. What were a few of the things you signed up for?" he asked.  
  
"Uh...there was Divination, Muggle Studies, advanced Transfiguration, I think some sort-of history, and I know for sure that I will have Runes." Lily said, thinking. "You?"  
  
"Oh...I can't remember. The summer eliminated all working brain cells." Remus said, rapping softly against his head.  
  
Lily laughed and patted his back. "It's okay, Moony."  
  
Remus smiled and looked towards James and Sirius, who were sitting there open-mouthed. "What?"  
  
"You and Lily...How do you talk so easily? I have to practice my conversation before the actual real conversation with her...she's like an oral exam!" James replied.  
  
"Oh, thanks. I'm sure all girls want to know they remind others of exams. Very flattering, Potter." Lily said, jokingly.  
  
"No. I'm serious. Your sort-of hard to talk to at times. I don't know how your going to react to things. One minute your like a calm serene river, while the next minute your a raging river rapids."  
  
"Maybe it's because you don't know me? Besides, me and Remus have been e- pals for a while now." Lily said, matter-of-factly.  
  
"A what?"  
  
"Honestly, don't you two know anything about the Muggle World?"  
  
The both nodded their heads.  
  
"And what is that?"  
  
"It is inhabited with Muggle and non-magic stuff," they both replied at the same time, proudly.  
  
Lily sighed in disgust, and hit both of them across the heads.  
  
"Hey! Ow!"  
  
"For your information, an e-pal is someone who can talk sort-of across the world through something called a 'computer', which is a Muggle device that Muggles can do all sorts of things. And it just so happens that Remus has one, and I have one as well back at home."  
  
"You mean you have access to Muggle things?!?!" James and Sirius chimed.  
  
"Yeess...why?" Lily said, carefully.  
  
"WOW!" they both exclaimed, jumping up and down in their seats.  
  
Lily turned towards Remus for an explanation, who had his head in his hands, but smiling slightly. "They love everything Muggle. Except books."  
  
"I see," Lily said, nodding.  
  
"Wait a minute," James asked, "does that mean, your Muggle-born?"  
  
"Remus is pure-blood, but I am Muggle-born. No one in my family, except my aunt, are witches or wizards. I'm what the Slytherins would call a 'mud- blood'. Lily said, acting like the term didn't bother her. And it didn't.  
  
"Lily! Don't say that!" they all exclaimed, shocked that she would say something like that, more shocked that she had said it to herself.  
  
"Why not? Well, I am. Mud-blood or not, I am who I am. I won't let a name bring me down, especially since the meaning of 'mud-blood' basically describes me." Lily said, seeing that there was now food on the tables. Her stomach growled noisily.  
  
"But still, Lils. You don't need to call yourself that. Your half-blood. If I hear about those slimy Slytherins saying anything close to that to you, there would never be an end to the pranks we would or could pull," Sirius said, smiling, already thinking about what they could pull on the Slytherins. Even if they didn't do anything like it, they would still pull pranks on them.  
  
"That's really not necessary. I can handle myself, you know." Lily said, laughing.  
  
"Siri's right. We'd all show them. We'd do so many pranks they would be able to tell who the culprit was." James replied, with Remus and Sirius nodding.  
  
Lily smiled. They hadn't became best friends yet, but they were pretty close. She even got a little closer to her cousin as well. The Marauders protected her and Chocolate from the Slytherins, and in exchange of their protection, they helped each other in their homework. James helped Lily in Charms, and Lily helped James in Transfiguration. Remus was okay in his studies and classes, so he refused help unless he really needed it. Sirius...on the other hand, needed all the help he could get. He was always on the edge of passing and failing all the time.  
  
(((A/N: Time lapse of about 5-6 months))) "Okay, Siri. Let's try again," Lily said, tapping her wand against the furry parchment with eyeballs back into a white kitten.  
  
"Ah, Lily. Can't we stop? My hand is tired from all the pointing and waving." Sirius pleaded, setting his head against the table. "We've been at it for almost 2 hours. Don't you ever get tired of helping me? I'm a lost cause!"  
  
"Yes, I do get tired, Siri. But when it comes to tutoring someone who needs my help, I am always there to help that person succeed. And no, you are not a lost cause. Now, remember the spell used? Now, point the wand at the kitten, and concentrate on it..." Lily said, watching that he did it right.  
  
Sirius pointed the wand at the kitten, stared hard at it for a second, and said, "Parchciendo lemiontete((A/N:made up word))!"  
  
The kitten transfigured into the parchment, and it no longer had eyeballs, and it wasn't as furry, but there still was a film of fine iridescent white fur on the parchment.  
  
Lily sighed. They would continue tutoring in the morning. "Well, it's better than before...We'll continue tomorrow morning, Siri."  
  
"Yeah!! Thanks Lils! Your the greatest!" Sirius chimed, bouncing off towards the Great Hall, so he could eat. Dinner was in about 10 minutes.  
  
Lily laughed as she watched her friend run off, and changed the parchment back into a kitten.  
  
Lily picked her up. "We better get you back to Chaco. She'll miss you too much if I left you here." Lily said, walking to the Gryffindor Common Room.  
  
"Here's FoF(((A/N: Fluffball of Fury))) back. Thanks, Chaco. He was a great apprentice." Lily said, handing her back to Chocolate.  
  
"Yes, she was great, weren't you fof? Weren't you?" Chocolate said, setting her on the bed. "I have to ask you something."  
  
"Shoot." Lily answered.  
  
"What do you think of James?" Chocolate said, seriously.  
  
"I don't know...why?" Lily said, cautiously.  
  
"Well, you and him seem to be hanging around alot for the past 5 months or so months..." Chocolate said.  
  
"Correction. You, me, and the Marauders have been hanging out alot, helping each other with homework and such..." Lily replied.  
  
"That's not what I mean. I mean, Do you like him?"  
  
"Well, yeah. He's my friend. I'm his. We help each other out and stuff."  
  
"No, what I meant was, 'Do you like like him?' " Chocolate said.  
  
"What? Me and James? As a couple?" Lily exclaimed. Sure, she liked him...but not like that...right?  
  
Chocolate nodded her head.  
  
Lily shook her head. "No, Chaco. I don't think I do...Wait..Do you like him?"  
  
Chocolate's eyes got wide and then she started laughing, hysterically. "Me? Like James? Hell No...hehehe..no...I like someone else..but it's not James..."  
  
"Who is it, Chaco?" Lily said, smiling.  
  
"I can't say."  
  
"And why not?"  
  
"Because you'd think me crazy and you'd laugh at me." Chocolate replied.  
  
"No I wouldn't. Tell me or else." Lily said, smiling mischievously.  
  
"Or else what?" Chocolate said, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"O else I'll...okay..I don't know what else...but I can and would find something if I had to...you know I can."  
  
"Alright, Alright." Chocolate whispered, telling Lily with her fingers to come closer.  
  
"Ummmm..." she started.  
  
"Oh! Just spit it out!"  
  
"Okay...I like Sirius..." Chocolate said, sighing.  
  
Lily then started laughing.  
  
"Hey! You said you wouldn't laugh!" Chocolate said, in defense.  
  
Then Lily hugged her. "Yes! Finally! We've been wanting to confess your feelings for him! Yeah!"  
  
"We?"  
  
"Yeah, me and James. I hate to say it, but we've had a bet that you and one of the other Marauders would eventually hook up together. I'm glad that it will be you and Siri together." Lily smiled very big.  
  
"Really? Wait a minute...I don't even think Sirius likes me." Chocolate said.  
  
"Oh, he does."  
  
"And how do you know that?"  
  
"James tells me everything that he can. And it's been known fact that he has been eyeing you for some time now." Lily replied, smiling even more.  
  
"What?!? Really?!?" Chocolate exclaimed, now smiling herself.  
  
Lily nodded.  
  
"Wicked!" Chocolate said, pouncing Lily and hugging her.  
  
"There's a ball in a few months. You might go ask him to it, before his little fan club beats you to it. He would ask you himself, but he is really afraid that you will say 'no', so I think you'll have to do it."  
  
"Okay. Thanks Lils." Chocolate said, leaving their room.  
  
"No problem." Lily said, putting up her school books and getting ready for dinner.  
  
When Lily went down the stairs, there was James, sitting in one of the chairs.  
  
"Hey Jamie." Lily said, walking over to him. "Why aren't you at Dinner?"  
  
"I was waiting for you. I figured since I was already here, I might as well wait."  
  
"Sounds okay to me. ooo-ooo-ooo Guess what! Chaco's going to ask Siri to the Ball!" Lily said, as they made their way to the Dining Hall.  
  
"Really? That's great. I was going to slap some sense into them if they didn't sometime soon."  
  
"Yeah. I know how you feel."  
  
"Lily?"  
  
"Hm?"  
  
"Are you going to the Ball?" James asked.  
  
"Pretty sure."  
  
Do you already have a date?" James asked, hoping that she would say that she didn't.  
  
"No...why?"  
  
"Well...Would you like to be my date?" James asked, nervously. He didn't think he'd ever been this nervous before in his entire life.  
  
"Sure," Lily said, smiling. She had been hoping that he would ask her to the Ball. Out of all the Marauders, James was the best candidate, with Peter being the last, because all Peter thought about was food, sex, food, making fun of less fortunate people, food, and Lily didn't like that at all.  
  
"Really? You mean it? Cool. I didn't think you'd want to go to the Ball with me."  
  
"Why would you say that?" Lily asked.  
  
"Well, it's just I haven't really ever had a friend who was a girl before. And I would think that you'd want to go with someone who wasn't me or your friend....Maybe someone like Lucious Malfoy or Severus Snape..." James said.  
  
Lily glared at James jokingly and felt his forehead. "Are you feeling okay? Do you have a fever? No, but seriously, if I had to choose between anybody, I would probably choose you to be my date. You want to know why? Because your my friend. A close friend at that."  
  
James smiled at her response.  
  
"Why'd you say that I would go to the Dance with Malfoy or Snape?" Lily said, sticking out her tongue in disgust.  
  
"Well, maybe because they always eyeball you when your eating or when we have classes with the Slytherins."  
  
Lily shook, pretending to convulse. Lily then laughed.  
  
James smiled again, relieved to hear her laugh. She had one of those laughs that could light up a whole room.  
  
"You what I just realized?" lily said, as they were approaching the Dining hall doors.  
  
"What?"  
  
"We've been friends for almost 6 or 7 months." Lily said, amazed at how time flew by so fast.  
  
"Really? Time really went by fast." James said, opening the door for her. "Ladies first."  
  
Lily smiled at him. "Thank you, kind sir."  
  
"Pleasures all mine." They both laughed and joined their friends.  
  
Sirius and Chocolate were sitting next to each other, smiling and laughing, lost in their own little world.  
  
James and Lily looked at each other with raised eyebrows.  
  
Then Sirius and Chocolate turned towards them. "When did you get here?"  
  
"About ten minutes ago." Lily said.  
  
"Oh. Yeah. Uh, me and Sirius are going steady." Chocolate said, smiling.  
  
"That's great! Congratulations, you two!"  
  
"Where's Remus?" James asked, looking around. "And Peter?"  
  
Sirius pointed towards the Hufflepuff table, where Remus and Peter were chatting with some slutty blond haired girls.  
  
"What's the deal with those blondes? Every guy seems to have chatted up with them at one point or another." the girls replied, both shaking their heads.  
  
"Uh..because they are dumb and sluts?" the boys answered, cautiously.  
  
The girls thought for a second, and then nodded. "Wow. You actually said something right for a change."  
  
James and Sirius smiled proudly before noticing that their plates infront of them were now full. "Food!"  
  
"What's the deal with guys and food?" the girls wondered, shaking their heads, before filling their own plates with food. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A/N: Okay, Okay, I know that is a horrible way to end a chapter, but if I continued with what I had written, then I would probably have to type 5 more pages.....This chapter was 20 hand-written pages....with 12 typed pages....and I am tired too....It is 12:20 a.m. right as I am writing this....Oh, well....I only have one more final and that is tomorrow...so maybe I will be able to write some more to conclude chapter Five...If you have nay ideas on what should happen before, during, and after the ball would be very helpful...I don't know if I want to make them fall in love during the ball, or during something else, like in a play, or something...Please tell me what you think...I am also sorry for not giving enough of James's thoughts...But when I revise the chapters, I will probably add a few places where it clearly shows his thoughts...Well, until later. 


	5. Chapter Four: Smiles and Homework

Chapter Four  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing of Harry Potter and incorporated. I wish I did though.... :*(  
  
A/N: OkayAnd I have also decided to not change any of the chapters until I get atleast 2 more chapters written. But, starting from this story, there are a few minor changes. First, they are in their 6th year, not their 4th year...I don't really know what I was thinking when I wrote that. Second, as you can probably tell they are 16-17 years old....P.S. I have also decided to not add alot of conflict, like people trying to break them up(maybe a little bit, but not alot), one because I am not good at it)...Oh, well....Never know..I don't even know how this story will basically turn out...Well, until then, well just see. :)...P.S. There is reference to the Barney song("I luv you") in this chapter, and in MY world/story, Barney existed...He is after all a dinosaur.....Satan more like it...  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
About a few weeks later, her, Chocolate, and the Marauders were slowly getting to know each other. They tried to find out simple things about each other, like what each other liked and didn't like, their fears, etc. After one tiring day, Lily entered the 6th year girls room, her stuff already neatly laid out onto her bed for the night. She sighed happily as she went over to the bed that had been hers since the first night there.  
  
Lily started to get undressed to put her night clothes on, but decided she wanted to read some.  
  
She got her book, and went down stairs to their Common Room, and sat down into a chair surrounding the warm fire.  
  
Lily stretched slightly before opening her newest Muggle book, 'Sense and Sensibility' by Jane Austin.  
  
She read two chapters before being interrupted. It was James.  
  
"Hey," James said, settling down into a chair across from her.  
  
"Hey," Lily replied, smiling slightly. She did not know whether she should start back reading again or talk to James.  
  
James interrupted her thoughts by saying something first. "Lily?"  
  
"Hm?"  
  
" I know it is already too late to ask you this, but...were you really meaning it when you wanted to be friends with me? And not just saying that, and then going to drop me like I did to you?" James asked, almost whispering. Lily heard him gulp, but could tell he was trying to keep it quiet.  
  
Lily sighed quietly. "Yes, James. I did mean it when I said I wanted to try and be friends with you again. And the answer to your last question is No, I am not just saying that just to get back at you. But, I don't know if you knew it, but it was hard, really hard."  
  
James nodded his head. "I know....and I know that we said that were not going to try and get the other to think what the other persons' way of thinking, but I just wanted to make sure you understood one thing that I don't think I made very clear."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"That I am really truly sorry. I really had no absolute idea of the way you felt of me, at the time. I know you don't anymore, but I am sorry for the pain I caused you. I was a very big asshole, wait...I still am..yet, the point is, if I could take it back, I would in a blink of an eye." James said, now whispering, looking down at his open hands.  
  
Lily nodded and simply said, "I know you are. I...I just don't know how long it will take for that side of me that doesn't to trust you...but I do know that it is possible..." Lily smiled slightly.  
  
James looked up and returned the smile gently. "I know."  
  
Lily still liked him, somewhere did within her heart. But that was also the part that she lost contact with a long time ago.  
  
James then got up and kissed her forehead. "Goodnight, Lils."  
  
Lily blushed. "Goodnight, Jamiesie," Lily said, remembering what Rita had called him a few weeks ago at the Sorting Ceremony.  
  
James cocked an eyebrow at her and said, before leaving, "Now you better not start that too. I already have to put up with the Marauders."  
  
Lily smiled and waved. "Count on it."  
  
James pointed his finger at her before disappearing up the stairs.  
  
Lily chuckled before getting up to leave and left the Common Room to her own room to get some sleep.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The next day when Lily awoke, it was a hour before they normally got up, and starting to getting ready for the day ahead.  
  
Lily decided that she was going to test James and the rest of the Marauders(atleast Sirius and Remus) (((A/N: I know Peter is a Marauder, but I never knew him too well, so he will not be in alot of my stories))), by not putting on any types of skirts, and wearing no makeup. Bare face and pants all the way. Just like before.  
  
If they still noticed and talked to her like normally, then she would then know that they were sincere. If not, then she would know that they were not.  
  
Lily left the Common Room about the same time she usually did. She usually left with Chocolate but Chocolate was meeting up with some of her friends with Ravenclaw.  
  
About 10 minutes later, she saw hide nor hair of any of the Marauders.  
  
'They were supposed to meet me here about five minutes ago...they probably passed right by me...'she thought, her heart began to slowly sink into her chest, 'so, it WAS really just because of the way I...' Her thoughts were suddenly cut short.  
  
"LILY!! WAIT!!"  
  
Lily jumped in surprise and quickly spun around.  
  
It was James, closely followed by Sirius and Remus, who all three seemed to be out of breath.  
  
When they reached her, they had to stop and lean on each other, so that they could catch their breath.  
  
"Hi?" Lily asked.  
  
After catching their breath, James looked up at her and smiled. "Hi," he replied.  
  
She wasn't really expecting that. She was expecting something like a disgusted look, and 'What did you do?' But, he nor the others did or said that. In fact, they were slightly smiling.  
  
"Why'd you all run after me?" Lily asked.  
  
"Two reasons." Remus panted, able to get a few words out.  
  
"And those were?"  
  
"One, we wanted to sit next and with you." Sirius said, smiling.  
  
"Two, we wanted to sit next and with you," James added, grabbing Lily's right arm. "Where's Chocolate?"  
  
"Oh, she went to meet up with a few friends in Ravenclaw. She wanted to say she was sorry, but she had already promised that she was."  
  
"The Traitor," Sirius joked, laughing. Sirius then grabbed Lily's left arm, Remus took ahold of Sirius's left arm, and they started skipping(with Lily just kind-of running along) and they were singing a mixture of songs. "I luv you" Barney song from Remus, "100 bottles of butterbeer on the wall" from Sirius, Lily just saying "I don't know these people", and "Tiptoe Through the Tulips" from James.  
  
All the way, even though Lily was claiming 'not to know them', she was smiling, just due to the fact that they hadn't dumped her at the first sign of her appearance.  
  
When they reached the Great Hall (((a/n: or is it Dining Hall?))), Lily thought they were going to stop and go in normally.  
  
That surely wasn't the case.  
  
They burst through the doors, still singing at the top of their lungs until they reached their seats at the Gryffindor table.  
  
When they stopped, they were greeted by the sound of applause, with Professor Dumbledore probably clapping the hardest.  
  
Remus, Sirius, and James all bowed, while Lily sank down into her chair, smiling, yet blushing like the colour of her fire-red hair.  
  
"Oh, Come on, Lily. Say something." Sirius said, pulling her to her feet.  
  
"I don't know these people. Really, I don't." Lily said, sitting back down.  
  
While the occupants of the room were laughing, all three of the Marauders fell backwards, with their hands covering their hearts, as if in pain. "Aw, Lily. You hurt us, Lily. You hurt us."  
  
Lily sweetly at them and then turned back towards her plate.  
  
When they recovered from their initial heart break, joined her at the table. Remus next to Lily, James and Sirius across from them.  
  
"So, how's life?" Remus asked, turning his head towards Lily.  
  
(((A/N: In my story, I know it doesn't make since but they haven't received their REAL schedule yet for their classes...for those weeks they were getting to know each other, they were taking classes where they were refreshing their memories about they learned the year before...hope it makes since)))  
  
Lily just sort-of shrugged. "I don't know yet. And that's because I haven't received my schedule yet. And as you can remember we got to choose what classes we wanted to."  
  
"Oh, yes. That's right. What were a few of the things you signed up for?" he asked.  
  
"Uh...there was Divination, Muggle Studies, advanced Transfiguration, I think some sort-of history, and I know for sure that I will have Runes." Lily said, thinking. "You?"  
  
"Oh...I can't remember. The summer eliminated all working brain cells." Remus said, rapping softly against his head.  
  
Lily laughed and patted his back. "It's okay, Moony."  
  
Remus smiled and looked towards James and Sirius, who were sitting there open-mouthed. "What?"  
  
"You and Lily...How do you talk so easily? I have to practice my conversation before the actual real conversation with her...she's like an oral exam!" James replied.  
  
"Oh, thanks. I'm sure all girls want to know they remind others of exams. Very flattering, Potter." Lily said, jokingly.  
  
"No. I'm serious. Your sort-of hard to talk to at times. I don't know how your going to react to things. One minute your like a calm serene river, while the next minute your a raging river rapids."  
  
"Maybe it's because you don't know me? Besides, me and Remus have been e- pals for a while now." Lily said, matter-of-factly.  
  
"A what?"  
  
"Honestly, don't you two know anything about the Muggle World?"  
  
The both nodded their heads.  
  
"And what is that?"  
  
"It is inhabited with Muggle and non-magic stuff," they both replied at the same time, proudly.  
  
Lily sighed in disgust, and hit both of them across the heads.  
  
"Hey! Ow!"  
  
"For your information, an e-pal is someone who can talk sort-of across the world through something called a 'computer', which is a Muggle device that Muggles can do all sorts of things. And it just so happens that Remus has one, and I have one as well back at home."  
  
"You mean you have access to Muggle things?!?!" James and Sirius chimed.  
  
"Yeess...why?" Lily said, carefully.  
  
"WOW!" they both exclaimed, jumping up and down in their seats.  
  
Lily turned towards Remus for an explanation, who had his head in his hands, but smiling slightly. "They love everything Muggle. Except books."  
  
"I see," Lily said, nodding.  
  
"Wait a minute," James asked, "does that mean, your Muggle-born?"  
  
"Remus is pure-blood, but I am Muggle-born. No one in my family, except my aunt, are witches or wizards. I'm what the Slytherins would call a 'mud- blood'. Lily said, acting like the term didn't bother her. And it didn't.  
  
"Lily! Don't say that!" they all exclaimed, shocked that she would say something like that, more shocked that she had said it to herself.  
  
"Why not? Well, I am. Mud-blood or not, I am who I am. I won't let a name bring me down, especially since the meaning of 'mud-blood' basically describes me." Lily said, seeing that there was now food on the tables. Her stomach growled noisily.  
  
"But still, Lils. You don't need to call yourself that. Your half-blood. If I hear about those slimy Slytherins saying anything close to that to you, there would never be an end to the pranks we would or could pull," Sirius said, smiling, already thinking about what they could pull on the Slytherins. Even if they didn't do anything like it, they would still pull pranks on them.  
  
"That's really not necessary. I can handle myself, you know." Lily said, laughing.  
  
"Siri's right. We'd all show them. We'd do so many pranks they would be able to tell who the culprit was." James replied, with Remus and Sirius nodding.  
  
Lily smiled. They hadn't became best friends yet, but they were pretty close. She even got a little closer to her cousin as well. The Marauders protected her and Chocolate from the Slytherins, and in exchange of their protection, they helped each other in their homework. James helped Lily in Charms, and Lily helped James in Transfiguration. Remus was okay in his studies and classes, so he refused help unless he really needed it. Sirius...on the other hand, needed all the help he could get. He was always on the edge of passing and failing all the time.  
  
(((A/N: Time lapse of about 5-6 months))) "Okay, Siri. Let's try again," Lily said, tapping her wand against the furry parchment with eyeballs back into a white kitten.  
  
"Ah, Lily. Can't we stop? My hand is tired from all the pointing and waving." Sirius pleaded, setting his head against the table. "We've been at it for almost 2 hours. Don't you ever get tired of helping me? I'm a lost cause!"  
  
"Yes, I do get tired, Siri. But when it comes to tutoring someone who needs my help, I am always there to help that person succeed. And no, you are not a lost cause. Now, remember the spell used? Now, point the wand at the kitten, and concentrate on it..." Lily said, watching that he did it right.  
  
Sirius pointed the wand at the kitten, stared hard at it for a second, and said, "Parchciendo lemiontete((A/N:made up word))!"  
  
The kitten transfigured into the parchment, and it no longer had eyeballs, and it wasn't as furry, but there still was a film of fine iridescent white fur on the parchment.  
  
Lily sighed. They would continue tutoring in the morning. "Well, it's better than before...We'll continue tomorrow morning, Siri."  
  
"Yeah!! Thanks Lils! Your the greatest!" Sirius chimed, bouncing off towards the Great Hall, so he could eat. Dinner was in about 10 minutes.  
  
Lily laughed as she watched her friend run off, and changed the parchment back into a kitten.  
  
Lily picked her up. "We better get you back to Chaco. She'll miss you too much if I left you here." Lily said, walking to the Gryffindor Common Room.  
  
"Here's FoF(((A/N: Fluffball of Fury))) back. Thanks, Chaco. He was a great apprentice." Lily said, handing her back to Chocolate.  
  
"Yes, she was great, weren't you fof? Weren't you?" Chocolate said, setting her on the bed. "I have to ask you something."  
  
"Shoot." Lily answered.  
  
"What do you think of James?" Chocolate said, seriously.  
  
"I don't know...why?" Lily said, cautiously.  
  
"Well, you and him seem to be hanging around alot for the past 5 months or so months..." Chocolate said.  
  
"Correction. You, me, and the Marauders have been hanging out alot, helping each other with homework and such..." Lily replied.  
  
"That's not what I mean. I mean, Do you like him?"  
  
"Well, yeah. He's my friend. I'm his. We help each other out and stuff."  
  
"No, what I meant was, 'Do you like like him?' " Chocolate said.  
  
"What? Me and James? As a couple?" Lily exclaimed. Sure, she liked him...but not like that...right?  
  
Chocolate nodded her head.  
  
Lily shook her head. "No, Chaco. I don't think I do...Wait..Do you like him?"  
  
Chocolate's eyes got wide and then she started laughing, hysterically. "Me? Like James? Hell No...hehehe..no...I like someone else..but it's not James..."  
  
"Who is it, Chaco?" Lily said, smiling.  
  
"I can't say."  
  
"And why not?"  
  
"Because you'd think me crazy and you'd laugh at me." Chocolate replied.  
  
"No I wouldn't. Tell me or else." Lily said, smiling mischievously.  
  
"Or else what?" Chocolate said, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"O else I'll...okay..I don't know what else...but I can and would find something if I had to...you know I can."  
  
"Alright, Alright." Chocolate whispered, telling Lily with her fingers to come closer.  
  
"Ummmm..." she started.  
  
"Oh! Just spit it out!"  
  
"Okay...I like Sirius..." Chocolate said, sighing.  
  
Lily then started laughing.  
  
"Hey! You said you wouldn't laugh!" Chocolate said, in defense.  
  
Then Lily hugged her. "Yes! Finally! We've been wanting to confess your feelings for him! Yeah!"  
  
"We?"  
  
"Yeah, me and James. I hate to say it, but we've had a bet that you and one of the other Marauders would eventually hook up together. I'm glad that it will be you and Siri together." Lily smiled very big.  
  
"Really? Wait a minute...I don't even think Sirius likes me." Chocolate said.  
  
"Oh, he does."  
  
"And how do you know that?"  
  
"James tells me everything that he can. And it's been known fact that he has been eyeing you for some time now." Lily replied, smiling even more.  
  
"What?!? Really?!?" Chocolate exclaimed, now smiling herself.  
  
Lily nodded.  
  
"Wicked!" Chocolate said, pouncing Lily and hugging her.  
  
"There's a ball in a few months. You might go ask him to it, before his little fan club beats you to it. He would ask you himself, but he is really afraid that you will say 'no', so I think you'll have to do it."  
  
"Okay. Thanks Lils." Chocolate said, leaving their room.  
  
"No problem." Lily said, putting up her school books and getting ready for dinner.  
  
When Lily went down the stairs, there was James, sitting in one of the chairs.  
  
"Hey Jamie." Lily said, walking over to him. "Why aren't you at Dinner?"  
  
"I was waiting for you. I figured since I was already here, I might as well wait."  
  
"Sounds okay to me. ooo-ooo-ooo Guess what! Chaco's going to ask Siri to the Ball!" Lily said, as they made their way to the Dining Hall.  
  
"Really? That's great. I was going to slap some sense into them if they didn't sometime soon."  
  
"Yeah. I know how you feel."  
  
"Lily?"  
  
"Hm?"  
  
"Are you going to the Ball?" James asked.  
  
"Pretty sure."  
  
Do you already have a date?" James asked, hoping that she would say that she didn't.  
  
"No...why?"  
  
"Well...Would you like to be my date?" James asked, nervously. He didn't think he'd ever been this nervous before in his entire life.  
  
"Sure," Lily said, smiling. She had been hoping that he would ask her to the Ball. Out of all the Marauders, James was the best candidate, with Peter being the last, because all Peter thought about was food, sex, food, making fun of less fortunate people, food, and Lily didn't like that at all.  
  
"Really? You mean it? Cool. I didn't think you'd want to go to the Ball with me."  
  
"Why would you say that?" Lily asked.  
  
"Well, it's just I haven't really ever had a friend who was a girl before. And I would think that you'd want to go with someone who wasn't me or your friend....Maybe someone like Lucious Malfoy or Severus Snape..." James said.  
  
Lily glared at James jokingly and felt his forehead. "Are you feeling okay? Do you have a fever? No, but seriously, if I had to choose between anybody, I would probably choose you to be my date. You want to know why? Because your my friend. A close friend at that."  
  
James smiled at her response.  
  
"Why'd you say that I would go to the Dance with Malfoy or Snape?" Lily said, sticking out her tongue in disgust.  
  
"Well, maybe because they always eyeball you when your eating or when we have classes with the Slytherins."  
  
Lily shook, pretending to convulse. Lily then laughed.  
  
James smiled again, relieved to hear her laugh. She had one of those laughs that could light up a whole room.  
  
"You what I just realized?" lily said, as they were approaching the Dining hall doors.  
  
"What?"  
  
"We've been friends for almost 6 or 7 months." Lily said, amazed at how time flew by so fast.  
  
"Really? Time really went by fast." James said, opening the door for her. "Ladies first."  
  
Lily smiled at him. "Thank you, kind sir."  
  
"Pleasures all mine." They both laughed and joined their friends.  
  
Sirius and Chocolate were sitting next to each other, smiling and laughing, lost in their own little world.  
  
James and Lily looked at each other with raised eyebrows.  
  
Then Sirius and Chocolate turned towards them. "When did you get here?"  
  
"About ten minutes ago." Lily said.  
  
"Oh. Yeah. Uh, me and Sirius are going steady." Chocolate said, smiling.  
  
"That's great! Congratulations, you two!"  
  
"Where's Remus?" James asked, looking around. "And Peter?"  
  
Sirius pointed towards the Hufflepuff table, where Remus and Peter were chatting with some slutty blond haired girls.  
  
"What's the deal with those blondes? Every guy seems to have chatted up with them at one point or another." the girls replied, both shaking their heads.  
  
"Uh..because they are dumb and sluts?" the boys answered, cautiously.  
  
The girls thought for a second, and then nodded. "Wow. You actually said something right for a change."  
  
James and Sirius smiled proudly before noticing that their plates infront of them were now full. "Food!"  
  
"What's the deal with guys and food?" the girls wondered, shaking their heads, before filling their own plates with food. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A/N: Okay, Okay, I know that is a horrible way to end a chapter, but if I continued with what I had written, then I would probably have to type 5 more pages.....This chapter was 20 hand-written pages....with 12 typed pages....and I am tired too....It is 12:20 a.m. right as I am writing this....Oh, well....I only have one more final and that is tomorrow...so maybe I will be able to write some more to conclude chapter Five...If you have nay ideas on what should happen before, during, and after the ball would be very helpful...I don't know if I want to make them fall in love during the ball, or during something else, like in a play, or something...Please tell me what you think...I am also sorry for not giving enough of James's thoughts...But when I revise the chapters, I will probably add a few places where it clearly shows his thoughts...Well, until later. 


	6. Chapter Five: Dances, Hands, Feelings

Disclaimer: I own none of the Harry Potter cast or characters, only my own creations. Please do not sue. I have no money..yet. :*(( ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A month later, a month before the Ball, some of the Gryffindor sixth year girls decided they needed to go get their dresses and utilities(aka make- up).  
  
When the weekend came to go to Hogsmeade, they left extra early so they could have first pick at the dress robe shop before any other girls from any other years or houses, because they had overheard that they were planning to do the same thing they wanted to do.  
  
The Marauders were going to meet up with them later on. They were going to go visit Zonko's Joke Shop, so they could load up on any of the newest jokes and pranks.  
  
When they entered the gates of Hogsmeade, they didn't stop at the Three Broomsticks, where the delicious waft of Butterbeer floated in the air. They sighed but kept on to Madeline's Dress Shop.  
  
For the next few hours, they tried millions of things on. When at last they found their perfect dresses. They left the shop quite satisfied.  
  
When they left there, they went to meet the guys at the 3 Broomsticks to get some Butterbeer before heading towards the make-up store, so they could restock on the best colour of make-up that would look best with their dresses.  
  
-------  
  
"Hello there, girls. Welcome to Zoe's Comestic Shop. Is there anything you would like any help in?" a plump, yet fashionably woman said, smiling.  
  
The girls nodded, not wanting the exact colour(that their dresses were) for their make-up.  
  
The woman smiled. "I'm glad. Everyone that comes in here knows what they want and I hardly do anything all day but sit, watch, restock, sit, watch, and restock. Vicious cycle."  
  
The girls laughed, then they all went to work. For the next four hours, they tried different types of foundations and powders, with some of the powders contained a special dry potion mixture that eliminates any acne for a day(or a night). A lot of girls bought that. When they finally got their makeup shopping done, it was about an hour before they had to leave to go back. "Let's just go back to the Three Broomsticks," someone suggested. Everyone agreed.  
  
When they went inside, the Marauders were in the back corner, looking over a parchment and whispering to each other.  
  
When they were a few feet away from them, James looked up and said something rather quickly, but silently.  
  
"What'ca doing?" Lily asked, grabbing the parchment out of Remus's hands. Lily smiled, but it then turned into a frown. It was blank.  
  
"Nothing," all four of them said, innocently.  
  
Lily raised an eyebrow at them, but shrugged it off. They never could lie very good. She knew that they were lying, but it wasn't anything important.  
  
The hour passed by and they headed back to the school.  
  
"So? What did you all get?" I mean, what does your dress look like? Glittery, silky, a teddy...Ow!" Sirius said, before getting smacked across the head by Chocolate.  
  
"We're not going to tell. Only 'we' will know."  
  
"We?"  
  
Lily, Chocolate, and the rest of the Gryffindor girls that were still with them(about 2) raised their hands. Then they all smiled evilly at the boys.  
  
"Girls are all evil..." Sirius whispered to James, before getting another smack against his head by Chocolate AND Lily.  
  
"Hey! Quit that! That hurts!"  
  
"That's the point." the girls replied, laughing to themselves as they entered the school doors and made their way to their Common Rooms.  
  
When they were inside, they smiled and said their goodnights to the Marauders. ---------------------  
  
((A/N: None of the girls know that Lily and James are going together, although the Marauders already know that Lily and James were going together.))  
  
"So, Lily. I heard that Amos was thinking about asking you to the Ball." Lana said, wishing it was here he was asking.  
  
"I know."  
  
"What? You know? Well?..." Lana replied.  
  
"Well what?"  
  
"What are you going to say?" Lana said. Amos Diggory was the nest in line to the Marauders in popularity.  
  
"I will tell him 'No'."  
  
"What? But why?" Chocolate piped in.  
  
"Because I am already going with James," Lily said, hanging up her dress in her closet.  
  
"When did that happen?" they all replied, surprised.  
  
"About the same time you and Sirius got together. We're just going as friends, though. Nothing more, nothing less." Lily said, knowing that they were all thinking they had something like a Romeo and Juliet romance going on. Secret. Forbidden.  
  
Lily laughed. "I just thought you all knew that I was going with him. Oh, well. Now you do," Lily said, still laughing. "Oh, stop it you all."  
  
"Stop what?"  
  
"You know what. Me and James are just friends. That's it. Nothing else." Lily replied.  
  
"But we weren't..."  
  
Lily raised a lone eyebrow at them.  
  
"We weren't...oh...okay...just a little bit..." they pleaded.  
  
Again, the raised eyebrow.  
  
"Okay...maybe a lot..." they said, in defeat.  
  
The brow went down.  
  
"But you can't blame us for thinking it, Lils. I mean, you've been asked out by numerous people. Amos Diggory, Ryan Lavigne, Charlie White, Nicholas Ramsy...and even by that slimy Slytherin, Severus Snape..." Chocolate said, pretending to throw-up. A few of the girls laughed.  
  
"Hey, don't say that," Lily said, in defense. When a few shot her some questioning glances, she continued. "No. I do not like Severus, but we are aquatinances. I tutor him in Transfiguration. But we do not converse other than that. Two reasons, really. One, because he is quite ugly and he has all that greasy hair; Two, because he is a Slytherin. He always denies that he calls me names along with the other Slytherins, but I know he does it when he is around Lucious Malfoy, and as you all know already, hates any who are half-blood witches and wizards, and Muggles."  
  
Everyone pretty much agreed with her.  
  
"So..when do you think we should start getting ready on the day of the Ball? All day? 3 hours before? 3-6 hours before?" someone said quickly, attempting to change the topic.  
  
It worked and everyone started happily chatting about what the entertainment might be.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
On the morning of the Ball, everyone was up extra early, trying to get to the showers first.  
  
About noon, mostly everyone had showered and now they were running around their house rooms like they were chickens with their heads cut off.  
  
Everyone was either in a bra, or underwear, and sometimes, nothing at all.  
  
It was a hour before the Ball started, and all the Gryffindor girls were done. They were just adding the final touches of make-up here and there.  
  
When the hour passed, they started to go down to the Common Room.  
  
Lily and Chocolate were the last ones down because FOF((A/N: as you may remember, Fluffball of Fury kitten)) was acting up and Lily couldn't find her shoe.  
  
When Lily and Chocolate stepped into the room, the whole room just seemed to stare at them.  
  
Chocolate had her dark brown hair up into a high ponytail. Her dress was a rich dark violet, which matched her eyegloss, which accented her honey- brown eyes. Her lips were a rich, deep plum. Her dress was V-cut, her sleeves rather long. She wore black ballerina flats, with the string tying up her leg.  
  
Lily...Lily was stunning. She had her bright fire-red hair into also a high ponytail, which she had pulled a few strands and curled them into many spirals. This had really been the first time she had ever put her hair up. She usually had her hair down, hiding her face. The curls framed her face, and mostly her forest green eyes, which had a light green tint over them. Lily's dress was a deep forest green, almost emerald. It was low-cut, and had gold trim all around the edges. The fabric was velvet, and it fit her like it was meant just for her. Her shoes consisted of red flats.  
  
"Well?" they asked, wondering how they looked like. "Do we look okay?"  
  
"Uhhh..." was all the Marauders could get out.  
  
"I guess that's a yes. It's probably all we're going to get out of them," Chocolate whispered into Lily's ear.  
  
Lily giggled and looked towards James, who had a dumb-founded look on his face. "Do I look bad?"  
  
"What?" James said, snapping out of his trance. "Hell No. your beautiful. No. Not just beautiful, extremely beautiful. I have never seen anybody as beautiful as you are tonight, not that I'm saying your never beautiful. Your always beautiful, Lily."  
  
Lily blushed wildly and turned the shade of her hair. "Uh, Thank you ,James. You look quite beautiful, I mean, handsome, as well." Lily said, smiling yet still blushing.  
  
James smiled at her blushing, and offered her his arm. "Shall we?"  
  
She smiled again and took his arm.  
  
"We shall." Lily replied, as her and James; Sirius and Chocolate; Remus and a Hufflepuff named Simone; and Peter and a Ravenclaw named Jessica made their way to the Ball.  
  
When they entered into the Ball, they were amazed at how people could turn something so plain, and in a matter of hours, turn it into something so beautiful.  
  
Thee made their ways to the tables, which were all put together so if people had dates from other houses, they wouldn't have to wonder where to sit at, their dates table or their own house tables.  
  
The bunch of them all sat down towards the middle of the table.  
  
When everyone had settled down, Professor Dumbledore stood up. "Welcome Students to the Spring Ball. After we finish dinner, the Dance will begin. Our entertainment tonight if a band called, "Blue Stars". Now. Let the feast begin." he said, raising a single hand and snapping his fingers. Then the food arrived.  
  
"Man, I am hungry." one of the Hufflepuff girls said.  
  
They all silently agreed and started to eat.  
  
When everyone had cleaned off their plates, Professor Dumbledore stood up once again. This time, instead of snapping his fingers, he clapped his hands and the tables disappeared, with only the chairs the people were sitting at, left. "Once the chairs have been moved towards the wall, the Dancing part of the Ball shall commence."  
  
When they got done doing that, they turned around to the bare floor to find there was now a band set up where the teachers usually sat at. It consisted of 2 girls, and 2 guys, which each had a star on them somewheres, and blue hair.  
  
'Figures...' James and Lily both thought at the same time, as they both made their way to the punch table at the end of the room.((A/N: I don't know how, they were just very thirsty that day(?)))  
  
After getting and drinking up their punch, they decided they better join their friends out there on the dance floor.  
  
About 10 minutes later, Lily, Peter, and Simone were exhausted. The 3 Marauders were having a contest against Chocolate and Jessica, to see who were the better dancers; The Marauders or the girls. In the end, the girls won. The 3 remaining Marauders collapsed onto their backs, convulsing as if they were going into a coma.  
  
The two girls laughed, steeping onto their stomachs before joining Lily and the rest.  
  
Then a slow song came on.  
  
Lily gasped slightly. She had never danced to a slow song before. 'Maybe James will ask me,' Lily though, hopefully. 'I know he knows how to slow dance...'  
  
"Lily? Uh, Lily, do you want..."James started, but got cut off as someone jumped him from behind. It was Rita.  
  
"JAMES!! Will you dance with me? Remember? You promised me that day in Transfiguration!" Rita pleaded, attached tightly to him.  
  
"Ummm..."James said, remembering it. Rita had been bugging him incisively that day in Transfiguration, which was his worst classbesides Potions. He, unfortunately, had class with Rita. The Gryffindors always seemed to have Transfiguration with the Ravenclaws. Well, James was writing down some very important notes about some new technique they would be trying, and Rita was bugging him about everything, like usual. And then she started to ask about the Ball, asking him if he'd go with her but never in one clear voice, etc. Finally, she asked him straight out if he'd go with her to the Dance, and he flat out told her 'No' that he was going with Lily. Then for about 10 minutes more of listening to Rita trying to persuade him out of his decision, he had had enough. "I will NOT go to the dance with you, but if you will just SHUT UP for a few minutes....no...Make that the rest of this whole class....I will save you ONE dance. That's it. Nothing more, nothing less. Now, please shut up so I can atleast try and pass this god- forsaken class," James said, angrily, almost yelling. Rita got the point, hurt slightly yet happy and content.  
  
James groaned. He looked at Lily, and mouthed, 'Just let me get this over with, and I will dance with you the next one.'  
  
Lily laughed to herself. 'Sure,' she mouthed back. Then, she flashed him some up turned thumbs.  
  
"Thanks. I'm going to need it." James said, chuckling.  
  
"Need what, James?" Rita asked, curiously.  
  
"Nothing, Rita." James said, his smile turning instantly into a slight frown as they made their way to the dance floor.  
  
Lily smiled and began to go to sit down at the chairs when someone touched her shoulder with one of their hands.  
  
She turned to see Severus Snape standing there, looking quite handsome with his blackgreasy hair slicked behind his ears. His dark grey eyes held a mysterious presence about them, but not the type that most girls swoon over. It made her slightly uncomfortable.  
  
"Lily, will dance with me? Just this one dance? I want to dance the first slow song there is, but everyone is quite already taken." Severus said, looking down at her.  
  
Lily looked around to see that everyone WAS mostly on the dance floor, dancing with someone. All her friends: Remus with Simone, Peter with Jessica, Sirius with Chocolate, and James with Rita, which James seemed to be trying to get away from her very tight-looking grasp.  
  
Lily sighed. "Okay, sure." she said, in defeat. She knew he wouldn't poison her, or give her "cooties", but still. He was a Slytherin. A Slytherin who hated most all of the Gryffindors, especially the Marauders. A Slytherin who hung out with other Slytherins who hated her for what she was. A Muggle- born.  
  
"Great." he replied, smiling very slightly.  
  
She gaped slightly at him. He almost looked normal when he smiled. Almost handsome, at least. She shrugged it off as he took her hand and lead her onto the dance floor.  
  
She got a few curious lookssome death stares from his Slytherin fan club but she took no notice of them. Atleast she wouldn't be on the sidelines, watching everyone else.  
  
"Uh," she whispered. "I don't know how to dance."  
  
He chuckled. "No worry. Just do what I do and you'll be fine."  
  
He took her arms and placed them around his neck, and then he placed his hands around her waist.  
  
She shivered at him when he did that. Noone had ever touched her waist before.  
  
When the song ended, a fast one started up.  
  
"Thank you, Lily, for that dance." Severus said, before turning to leave and rejoin where most of the Slytherinsaka his fanclub were at.  
  
"No problem." Lily replied, walking towards the chairs.  
  
"Did someone cast a spell on you?" someone said, out-of-the-blue.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Did Snape cast a spell on you? Why'd you dance with him?" Chocolate said, checking Lily's head.  
  
"Stop it. I'm fine. No spell was cast, no potion was given to me. He asked me nicely if he could have this dance, and since he asked it politely, I said 'yes'." Lily said, swatting away Chocolate's hand from her face.  
  
"Yeah, sure. Whatever you say." Chocolate said, not believing her but went to get some punch, to see if it was contaminated with something.  
  
Lily shook her head as Chocolate walked away, as James, Sirius, and Remus strode up to her.  
  
"What the hell happened out there?" Remus asked.  
  
"What?" Lily replied, getting rather annoyed. She knew what they were talking about; about her and Snape dancing.  
  
"Why'd you dance with Snape, for Gods sake? Did he force you to dance with him?" Sirius said, convinced that was what Snape had done. Forced her to dance with him.  
  
"Because he can be nice at times, and since he was nice enough to come up to a Mud-blood and ask me to dance with him, I said yes. And no, he did not force me to do it either. It was of my own free will, thank you very much." Lily replied, her anger slowly rising.  
  
James had seen here angry many times before, and he knew the warning signs. For one, her voice became more harsher and icy. Second, it always seemed to make her hair get a little bit of a brighter red, while her forest green eyes got darker as well, as if they were filling with green fury.  
  
James put a lone hand on Lily's shoulder and squeezed lightly. "Lils...It's okay. You know how they are towards the Slytherins. Heck, I am that way to. But I know when to stop. They don't. You know how they are when it especially involves Malfoy and Snape."  
  
Her eyes got a little bit lighter, but her hair colour didn't change. Lily looked towards James and sighed. "Okay. But just this once."  
  
James smiled, glad that she was not as angry as she would of become. They were about to sit down when a slow song started up.  
  
Lily looked up slightly at James.  
  
James smiled again. 'Perfect timing,' James thought. "Lily, would you like to dance with me?"  
  
Lily smiled and her green eyes seemed to show a bit of some sparkle. "Yes, I would, James."  
  
She took his outreached hand, as he led her out onto the dance floor.  
  
She did what Snape had told her to do earlier and automatically put her arms around his neck, while James put his hands around her waist.  
  
Then it happened. Atleast something did. Something that she did not feel when Snape touched her.  
  
There was some sort of energy. An sparkage of some type. It coursed throughout her body and she shivered at the feeling it gave her. Not that she could describe it if somebody had asked. She just knew it made her happy and content.  
  
She tried to act like nothing had happened, and she tried to look at James to see if he had felt it too. But, although his face was basically facing hers, it was covered by the shadows that they cast upon each other.  
  
'I guess I'll never know,' Lily thought, trying to forget it, but could not all the way.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
As they reached the dance floor, Lily seemed to know what she was doing because she put her arms automatically around his neck.  
  
'I bet she learned how to dance from Snape.' James thought, sliding his hands around her waist. 'I just wish I could have been the one to teach her to do that. but he beat me to it.'  
  
Then it happened. Atleast something seemed to happen. Like electricity coursing throughout his whole body.  
  
He had never felt it before in his life. He was sort-of like the type of energy that anger gives off, but he was not in anger. He was actually happy and content, something he hadn't been in a long time.  
  
He couldn't place what it was or where it was coming from, but he liked it. He liked being there, that close to Lily. They were close to each other, but they would never admit it, especially not to each other.  
  
He had no idea if she had felt it too, so he tried his hardest to keep a straight face and keep within the shadows that they both made against each other.  
  
'She probably didn't. She will never feel the way I feel for her,' he told himself, sadly. He sighed, and watched as she laid down her head against his shoulder. He breathed in the scent of her hair, 'Oranges', he thought.  
  
He smiled sadly down at her, and tightened his grip around her, not wanting to let go.  
  
Eventually, the song did end, and they thanked each other for the dance, and went to join their friends. Chocolate and Sirius were talking to each other in hushed whispers. James and Lily decided to sneak up on the two to see what was going on.  
  
"Do you think we could get away with it?" Chocolate whispered to Sirius.  
  
"Probably." he whispered back.  
  
"Probably not." Lily and James chorused from behind them.  
  
Chocolate gave out a scream and jumped 5 feet in her chair. "How much did you hear?!"  
  
"Enough." Lily said, crossing her arms. She knew they were up to something, but she just didn't know what to. Chocolate and Sirius's minds were quite the same. It would change all the freaking time.  
  
"How much?" Sirius asked, seriously.  
  
"Just enough to hear that the two of you are up to something." James replied.  
  
"Well, okay. Uh, me and Sirius are going to go into the garden to talk and stuff." Chocolate said, changing the subject.  
  
"And stuff?" James asked her, quizzically.  
  
"What? no, just talk. We'll see you all later on tonight." Chocolate answered, grabbing Sirius's hand and dragging him out of the room.  
  
"What was that all about?" Lily asked, sitting down next to Remus. "I know you know, Moony. Tell me."  
  
"I can't."  
  
"And why not?"  
  
"Because I just want to see them get into trouble." Remus said, in return.  
  
"Huh? Tell me, Remus. Or else..." James threatened.  
  
"Or else what?"  
  
"Or else I will tell everybody about the...painting..." James smiled, threatening.  
  
"You wouldn't." Remus said, seriously.  
  
"Oh. I would." James replied back, just as seriously.  
  
Remus gulped.  
  
"The painting?" Lily asked, confused.  
  
((A/N: The Marauders are obsessed with James Bond...there's a small hint....Stupid, I know...but atleast I wrote something?))  
  
"Okay. I'll tell. Chocolate and Sirius want to go to the garden to make- out, but to do it secret agent style."  
  
James and Lily both cocked their eyebrows.  
  
"They both know that most Professors, and especially the Potions professor, are scourging the grounds and the garden. And Sirius and Chocolate thinks that if they make-believe that the Professors are villains, and they cannot be seen or they die, it will make making out more adventurous. More exciting." Remus replied.  
  
"Oh. Okay. Sorry we asked....But that would be fun to see." James said, thinking.  
  
"What are you thinking about, Prongs?" Remus and Lily asked.  
  
"Let's go watch." James said, smiling.  
  
The three agreed and left the rest of their friends to the Ball, and them to go watch the escapade that was starting to unfold. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
When the three entered the garden, they had no idea where to start looking.  
  
"Do we have any idea where they were to be doing this at?" Lily whispered to the other two.  
  
Remus shook his head. Then he heard some noises coming from beside them.((A/N: NOT THOSE NOISES!!! Geez..there are sick people out there.)) He whispered, "Do you all hear that?"  
  
They all nodded their heads and started to creep closer to where the noises were coming from.  
  
"It's coming from that bush," James mouthed to both of them, pointing to a bush a few feet away.  
  
This is what they heard.  
  
"Be quiet, Chocolate. The villain is near by. I must protect you in any way possible. If caught, we will never see each other again. We have to stay very close to each other and conserve body heat; if not, we will both freeze to death. We must stay as close as possible," Sirius whispered, obviously into Chocolate's ear, trying to sound seductive.  
  
The three could hardly keep in their laughter, and after a few minutes of listening to Sirius do this, was too much to handle. And the three just burst out laughing, falling to the ground with pain from laughing too hard.  
  
((A/N: The dress Lily is wearing is tear, stain, and bullet-proof.))  
  
There was a scream and two people jumped up from the bushes, expecting to see Professors, instead only seeing James, Lily, and Remus, all laughing.  
  
"Why you..." Sirius jokingly said, playfully pouncing the three. "You ruined my fun."  
  
After a few minutes of nothing coming from Chocolate because they were to busy laughing about the whole ordeal and getting pounced, that they had forgotten her momentarily) was supposedly at, they wondered what had happened to her.  
  
They crawled to where she was at, and there she was. On the ground. Passed out.  
  
"She got too scared! You made my girlfriend pass out!" Sirius exclaimed again jokingly, pouncing the three back down onto the ground.  
  
As Sirius was pouncing them, James's hand hit Lily's momentarily.  
  
There it was again. That slight shock. She glanced instantly at James, who was attempting to control and tickle Sirius, one-handed, which was like catching a Golden Snitch while just standing still.  
  
She noticed no change, except a slight pause in his actions towards Sirius, but other than that, nothing. No glance at her, no nothing.  
  
She sighed silently. 'I knew it. He didn't feel that. Maybe I am just imagining it. Maybe I want to think there could be something still between us, but there isn't, and my body is just doing that just because it can and wants to. Plus, it could be just electricity we all made by crawling and tickling each other. But...it would be nice if he did like me, like he did supposedly during our first year. Probably not. No. I know he doesn't anymore, even if he did feel something for me that year. I have seen how many girls follow him around. I could never NEVER match to their beauty and intelligence, although I am at the top of my class,' Lily thought, wishing that what she was thinking wasn't true.  
  
She decided to push away the thought of love and of the electricity until when she knew she could be alone to think about it.  
  
After a while, Chocolate finally came to and they noticed that the Ball had just barely ended and that they needed to get to their Common Rooms.  
  
When they reached their separate stairs, they said good-night, and Lily risked a quick glance at James, who was staring at her, in thought.  
  
'Maybe he did fe..." Lily started to think, but distinguished the thought immediately. "Good night, James. Thank you got dancing with me and being my date tonight."  
  
James smiled. "The pleasure was all mine."  
  
Lily smiled, turned, and went into her room to get some sleep. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
As Sirius pounced James, he was caught off guard and his hand slipped from beneath his weight and it touched Lily's hand momentarily.  
  
And there it was again. That slight shock. He wanted to look at lily so badly, but he didn't risk it. 'Just keep a straight face. That has worked for you your whole life. You can do it now to,' James thought, trying to control a too-much-punch-hyper Sirius with one hand. Not a easy task. Not a easy task at all.  
  
'Like I thought before, she did not feel that. Why would she? She deserves someone better. I love her so much, but how could I tell her that? She would just laugh in my face. I wish she still liked me like she did during our first year. But after what I did to her? If I was her, I wouldn't like me anymore either. She is so beautiful, inside AND out. She doesn't need someone like me to come around and mess her life up. And she needs someone who can keep her beautiful. Money, a home, a future. Stuff I have to work hard at to get and keep. Someone who would already have their life planned out. She needs someone who has a future already planned out for them. Someone who is not me,' James thought to himself, sadly. ((A/N: I know that it sounds pathetic....Hey, I am a girl....I don't know the way guys feel...This is a attempt...a rather sucky attempt but atleast it was a attempt.))  
  
After a while, Chocolate regained consciousness and they noticed that the ball had just ended and they made their way to their Common Rooms.  
  
When they reached their separate stairs, they all said good night.  
  
James just stood there, staring at Lily, who had her straight red hair down and flowing around her shoulders, making her even more beautiful.  
  
'Oh. How I wish I could just hold her like I did while we were dancing together...Oh, well...Just wishful thinking, James.' James thought. When he snapped out of his some-what trance, Lily was looking at him. "Goodnight, James. Thank you for dancing with me and being my date tonight."  
  
James smiled. "The pleasure was all mine." 'I just wish you were my date always and forever, and that I could always dance with you,' James thought, sadly again.  
  
Lily smiled and left to go towards her room.  
  
James stood there for a moment longer before turning himself and leaving for his own room for some sleep.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
*Long past the ball...a few weeks*  
  
*A few hours before they leave for summer*  
  
Lily, Chocolate, Remus, James, and Sirius yawned heavily as they carried their heavy luggage to the train carriage, which would take it up to the train, so when it was time to leave, they could just leave with no problems.  
  
As they trudged back to the castle, Lily decided to ask what they were going to do over the summer.  
  
"Hmmm...besides sleeping, visiting the love of my life," Sirius said first, tickling Chocolate.  
  
Chocolate laughed and tickled him back. "Same here," she replied, "plus, study."  
  
Lily agreed with her, although the boys protested.  
  
"Study?!? Why?!? It's the summer before our final year at Hogwarts, for heaven's sake!" James exclaimed, eyes wide with amazement.  
  
'You probably have never even heard of the term 'study' before in your life, Potter. Especially not in Transfiguration class," Lily said, teasing James.  
  
"Hey! Can you blame me for not doing well in Transfiguration? I sit next to Rita for God's Sake. I really do try. But Rita loves the fact that I sit next to her, so she bugs me constantly about everything, especially when I am actually trying to write down notes. I then end up writing whatever Rita is talking about or says. It's so bloody annoying. Professor McGonagall said she only wanted us to meet new people, but did she really have to put me next to her? Arghh!!" James said, loudly, under his breath.  
  
They all laughed and patted him on his back as they entered back into the school.  
  
"Hey Lily. You didn't tell us what your going to be doing this holiday, besides probably studying," Remus asked, as they reached the Dining Hall.  
  
"Well, I was hoping if everyone would tell me their addresses or such I could visit you all. Plus, I am planning to have a rather big party one day and if I did, I could invite you all. My parents always have a party a month. Usually, at least." Lily explained.  
  
"With...Muggles?!?" James and Sirius exclaimed loudly, getting already rather excited.  
  
"Well...er..Yes...With Muggles. Which means no magic could be used if you all came." Lily continued.  
  
"Of course we'll go. Even if it was just witches or just Muggles, we'd still go. Will it be a fancy or a regular party?" James asked.  
  
"It is usually fancy. Whatever it is, I will inform you whenever I get more concrete details. If the clothes you wore for the Spring Ball a week ago were yours, you could just wear that. That is what they usually wear, although I don't usually go to them. It's rather to fancy for me and I never have had a lot of friends to invite, except Chaco, but I know how she loves dresses and fancy stuff." Lily replied, as they sat down at their regular seats.  
  
"Too true," Chocolate replied, smiling.  
  
After breakfast, they still had about 15 minutes before they left for the train, so they decided to go back to their dormitories to see if they for sure got everything.  
  
After doing their rechecking, they got on board of the train. Peter then joined us for the ride back.  
  
On the way back to the station in London, they played a few games of Wizard chess; and Lily taught them all the Muggle gambling card game of Poker, which they gambled with whatever candy they had on them whenever they finally got the hang of it. Atleast, some did.  
  
"Ha! I have three of a kind!" James said, slapping down his cards on a table they had conjured up. Since technically they were still on school propertythe train, they could still technically do some magic.  
  
Sirius started laughing, and set down his cards. "Aha! I beat you this time, Jamsie Wamsey Bamsey! Two of a kind! Beat that!" And after getting stared at by the rest with all having cocked eyebrows, he asked, "What?? What??"  
  
"Three of a kind ALWAYS beats two of a kind. James won this hand," Remus pointed out.  
  
Sirius looked down at his cards, and sighed sadly. "Oh," Sirius exhaled.  
  
"Awww....Here you go, Siri boy. I may have won, but you can still get the reward." James said smiling, pushing him a huge pile of Chocolate frogs and a rather big pile of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans.  
  
Sirius perked right up and gathered his prize. "Thanks, Prongs." Sirius said, before going to the corner of the compartment and started to munch on it all.  
  
"That was very nice of you, James." Lily whispered to James.  
  
James smiled. "I know. Plus, I think he needs to get some fat on him. You can almost see his cheekbones, and I like him when he has more fat on him than I do," James laughed, poking at his stomach. James was actually very slim, but Sirius was getting rather skinny. Sirius was the type that could eat and eat, and never gain a thing.  
  
"I sure do envy him," Lily said, "I wish I could be like that."  
  
"I wish I was that way too. But you look fine as you are. Even if you were 200 pounds, you would still look fine and beautiful." James said.  
  
Lily blushed and she smiled. "Thanks."  
  
He smiled back. "No problem."  
  
Then they started chatting about the differences between the Muggle and Wizarding World. Sports, Music, food, pictures, anything.  
  
After a while, James and Lily became rather sleepy, and grabbed a blanket from above them. Since that was the last blanket left, they decided to share. They didn't know it, but they both were very glad in the back of their minds that it was. It meant they could stay close together for one last time before departing for their houses.  
  
James wrapped it around them, and being that it was really meant for only one person, they scooted closer to each other. Lily rested her head on his shoulder, while he placed his arms around her waist. Lily enjoyed the warmth he gave off, and his heart beat. 'Such a steady beat...So soothing...So relaxing..'She thought, before dozing off.  
  
James looked down at her, who was snoozing peacefully. He smiled and kissed her forehead. 'If only it could always be like this,' he thought, before dozing off himself.  
  
The compartment was asleep by 3 hours into the train ride, and they got shaken awake by Sirius , who was rather hyper from all the candy he had been given earlier. Mind you, he ate it all.  
  
"WWWWWWAAAAAAKKKKKEEEEEE UUUUUUPPPPPPP PPPPEEEEOOOOPPPPLLLLLEEEE!!!!!!! TTTTTRRAAAIINN AAARRRIIIVVVVVEESSSS IIIINNNN TTTTTEEEENNN MMMIIINNNUUUTTTEEESSS!!!!!!" Sirius screamed at the top of his lungs. Lily and James already knew he was going to be doing this because of all the candy he had eatenand probably more hyper than at the garden thing and had been planning to stay awake so they wouldn't have to experience it. Of course, they failed.  
  
All of the people screamed and jumped up, alarmed. "We have to stop the Santa Claus!" Chocolate screamed, as she was shaken awake.  
  
"Santa Claus?" Sirius asked, sitting down next to Chocolate.  
  
"Why'd you do that? I was about to kill Santa Claus!" she said, laying her head in Sirius's lap.  
  
"Poor baby." Sirius said, before smiling. "Did I wake everybody up? Sorry."  
  
After 10 minutes of pouncing and tickling Sirius, the train arrived at the station.  
  
When they identified their luggage's, they met right beside the train, promising that they would all stay in touch. And Lily promising about the party.  
  
They all hugged and went on their way. James and Lily stayed last. "Thanks, James. For being my friend throughout this year. This would of been a boring year without you."  
  
"I'm just glad I met you again." He smiled. She smiled back.  
  
"Bye, James."  
  
"Bye, Lily."  
  
And they parted so they could go meet their parents, and join the Muggle world for the summer.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A/N: Okay,I am very VERY VERY sorry for not writing this sooner. Do you know how long it takes to write a 30 page chapter? And actually type it? 3 HOURS! Too long for typing. I do not have nothing wirtten for the next chapter, so it might be a while before more is written. So, if you have any ideas, please e-mail me at either: TempestUndine18@aol.com, TempestFairy18@yahoo.com, TempestUndine18@hotmail.com. I know this is a sucky chapter. I will try to do better...I really will! Until then. 


	7. Chapter Six: A new family member

When Lily finally found her parents, she noticed that her sister, Petunia, wasn't with them. She usually went with them to pick Lily up, although Petunia hated to do so with a vengeance. Not that Lily minded that she wasn't there. They both basically hated each other.  
  
See, Petunia hated Lily because of her witch-blood, or as Petunia would call it 'freak-blood'. She hated Lily even before she got the letter from Hogwarts. Lily was good in everything, any sports she entered, got excellent marks in every subject. But she never had a good reason to say that she hated her. But when she got the letter from Hogwarts saying that she was a witch, Petunia started using that as a excuse as to saying that she hated her and didn't want to be seen around with her, etc. 'Well, I guess there will always be witches who hate Muggles, and there will always be Muggles who hate witches,' Lily would always think. Petunia would never call Lily by her real name. It was always freak, freak of nature, fag, or anything else that could be considered offensive or insulting.  
  
"Uh. Why isn't Petunia with you two today?" Lily asked, as she and her father loaded her heavy luggage into their car.  
  
"Oh, right. Well, while you were away, she got herself a boyfriend at that public school she goes to," her mother said, unlocking the front car doors.  
  
"Really? What's he like?" Lily asked, surprised that anything would date her sister. Her sister was rather bony, and had a horse-shaped face.  
  
"He's a rather large fella, beefy. I don't like him, really. His name is...oh, what was his name, dear?" her mother replied, thinking.  
  
"Vernon Dursely."  
  
"That's right. Vernon Dursely."  
  
"Well, just be glad somebody actually likes her." Lily said, climbing into the car.  
  
"True. So, honey. How was school? Meet any new friends while you were there?" he mother asked, climbing into the front passenger side.  
  
"Well, actually, yes. Four of them. Their names are James Potter, Remus Lupin, Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew."  
  
"All boys I suppose?" her father questioned, unsure if he should be glad about her making new friends or not.  
  
"Yes, Daddy. All boys, but nice ones. You can't find many of them there at Hogwarts." Lily said, smiling. Her father was really rather over-protective over his baby girl. Her mother was also the same way, but her mother knew her limits to her daughters. Her father did not always know those boundaries at times.  
  
Then she remembered about the party she promised them, her friends. She continued.  
  
"Oh, I have a big favour to ask of both of you," Lily asked, hoping they would say that she could.  
  
"Yes, honey?"  
  
"Well, I was wondering whenever you have one of your parties, I was wondering if I could, and all my friends, be invited to go, as well. I actually promised them that when you had one, they would be invited to it." Lily replied, matter-of-factly.  
  
"Why, of course, Lilers." her parents chorused.  
  
"Really?" Lily asked, amazed. She had really expected her parents to take some time to think about it.  
  
"Sure. As a matter of fact, we were going to ask you the same thing. Well, now we have both our intentions met." her father said, smiling.  
  
Lily looked in the rear-view mirror at her father's face, and noticed something that she only knew too well. It was something that Lily would see in the Marauders eyes when they were up to something. She was used to seeing that 'look' in the Marauders eyes, but not in her father's eyes.  
  
She tried to tell what he was thinking(or planning), but they hit a speed bump, and she lost her train of thought.  
  
She shrugged it off. Her father wouldn't do anything. He was just not like that.  
  
Lily sat back in her seat, and slowly dozed off to sleep, dreaming about pools of chocolate, and of the Ball.  
  
*Dream*  
  
Lily entered into the Ball alone, wearing the dress she wore at the Ball. She looked into a mirror that was resting on a table, and noticed that she looked the same as the night of the real Ball.  
  
"Hello, Lily." someone said, from behind.  
  
Lily spun around to see who it was. It was James.  
  
"James. Hi. How are you?" Lily started but James put a lone finger to his lips.  
  
"Don't talk; Just dance." he said, taking her hand and leading her to the middle of the supposed dance floor.  
  
She blinked and then took his hand. Lily glanced around herself and noticed that there were people in there now. It was actually just like the way the Ball had been when her and James started dancing at the Ball.  
  
She smiled, and nodded. When they reached the middle of the dance floor, he placed her hands around his neck, then he put his hands around her waist.  
  
Lily realised that this was only a dream, but she would enjoy it as much as possible because she knew that she would wake up probably at any minute.  
  
Out of nowhere, a really beautiful slow song came on, and they began to dance slowly to it.  
  
Lily laid her head against his shoulder, and felt James arms tighten around her.  
  
She felt safe, warm, and most of all, happy.  
  
Lily closed her eyes, wishing she could tell him that he changed her. Not in a bad way. But a good way. They were really good friends now, and he made her feel like people actually did care for her, besides Chocolate and her parents. She knew Chocolate loved and cared for her. But they were the only people who did. She never had friends when she went to the Muggle school. They always teased her for her bright red hair and her forest green eyes. A 'normal' person always had blond hair and blue eyes. Plus, you had to be stick-thin. Lily had always been sort-of...well-rounded during her younger years. Her sister teased her as well, and that made her feel just as bad. He made her feel that she could someday be loved, and that people actually could care about her.  
  
She heard Lily whisper into her ear. "Lily?"  
  
"Hm?"  
  
"I have something I have to tell you. It's really important." he replied.  
  
"Yes?" she asked, leaning back slightly and looked up at him.  
  
"Well, the thing is, I really do..." he started, before he yelled,  
  
"HONK!"  
  
end dream  
  
Lily sat straight up, not knowing where she was exactly. Then, she remembered that she was still in the car.  
  
"What happened?" Lily asked, alarmed. Her mother looked quite shaken up.  
  
Her mother did not answer back, so she repeated herself again, louder. "What happened?"  
  
"Well, your father appartenty dozed off, and got into the wrong lane. A four-wheel truck was heading our way, and he honked at us. Mind you, I dozed off as well." her mother replied, taking some red pills she had in her purse, which she usually only took when she had stress.  
  
"Oh," Lily replied, not really knowing what to say.  
  
Lily then remembered the dream. She sort-of knew what James was going to say, but she still wished she was back there, in her dream, in his arms.  
  
((A/N: This is a conversation that Lily and her inner voice has. She is not crazy. She is not talking out loud. Only in her head.)) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 'Stop it, Lily,' her inner voice told Lily, 'He doesn't love you, and he probably doesn't even like you. Your his friend. That's it.'  
  
'But, when he would hold me while we danced at the Ball, it made me feel like we were more than 'just friends'.'  
  
'And how many dances have you danced with him?'  
  
'Well...Just one...'  
  
'Exactly.'  
  
'What exactly are you getting at?'  
  
'The way he held you could be the way he dances with ALL the girls.'  
  
'But what about Rita?'  
  
'What about Rita?'  
  
'He didn't dance with her like that.'  
  
'That's because he hates her, can't stand her. Would you dance really close to someone you hated?'  
  
'Well...No...'  
  
'Exactly my point. Love is very dangerous, kiddo. If you really love him, you must find out if he feels the same too. If you declare your love for him, and he doesn't feel the same, you will hurt yourself, and in return, hurt me, your inner voice.'  
  
'What? I don't love him. I just like him. He's cute, funny, quite handsome. He's a great friend, too.'  
  
'Doesn't matter. Just be careful.'  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A voice interrupted her conversation with her inner voice. 'We're here, Lillian."  
  
"Okay, mom. I'm going to go on to bed, if you two don't mind. The train AND the car ride has left me exhausted.  
  
"Sure,, honey. Oh, by the way, did you have a time already picked out to have your little party?" her mother asked, as they helped unload her luggage.  
  
"Not yet. Why?"  
  
"Well, how does July 10th sound to you? We were planning on having one then, and you could invite your friends for that date. But only if that date sounds fine to you, of course." her father replied, opening the house up.  
  
"Great. That sounds fine." Lily said, smiling. Then she noticed that someone else's car was in their driveway. "Whose car is that?"  
  
"Vernon," her father grunted. Lily could already tell that her father didn't like this 'Vernon'. When her father's voice got gruffer, you could usually tell that he didn't like or approve something. Her father and her were alike in some things, and when it came to him disliking something, there was a pretty darn good chance that she wouldn't like it either.  
  
But she did not have to hear his voice to know that she was not going to like him. It was just basically the fact that someone actually could date her. Much less, look at her.  
  
Lily shivered at the thought of Petunia's children. Since her father said he was beefy, she imagined fat, greasy hair, horse-shaped faces, who would do nothing but sit around all day; since Petunia did that most of all the time anyways.  
  
She shivered again at that horrible mental image, and entered into the house. "Goodnight, mum. Goodnight, Dad."  
  
They both chorused back. "Goodnight, love. See you in the morning."  
  
"Okay. Love you too." Lily rang back as she passed her sister's door. When she passed it, she heard some small bouts of giggles.  
  
Lily got closer to the door. She heard, "Oh, great. That freak of nature. I'm am so glad that your here. I am also very happy that I didn't have to go with my parents to go pick her up. The conversation I have to listen to from home and from back from her freak school that she goes to. It's always Lily this, and Lily that. Waste of my bloody valuable time," Petunia said slurry, obviously drunk.  
  
A boy laughed, obviously Vernon. His laugh sounded also slurred and gruff, telling Lily that he was drunk as well. "True, true. I very much believe that too. I haven't met her personally yet, but she does awfully sound horrible. Where did you say she went to school again?"  
  
"Oh," her sister sounded a little worried, but not much. "Hogwarts."  
  
"Hogwarts? I've never heard of it."  
  
"Oh. It's rather quite new. It's some correctional facility, for juvenile criminals."  
  
"Yes. If I had a sister like yours, I'd put her in there myself."  
  
Lily clenched her teeth, and made fists, getting rather agitated and angry. She decided though that she didn't want to hear anymore, so she went on to her room.  
  
When she entered, to her surprise, she saw two owls waiting outside her window.  
  
"Oh!" she said, upon seeing them. When she opened the window, the two owls fluttered in, and perched themselves on her desk chair. Then she noticed two letters and a money pocket on each of their legs.  
  
Lily made a grab for her money purse and took 4 knuts out, putting 2 knuts in each pocket.  
  
They both hooted happily in response, waited until she had unhooked the letters, then they took flight and left the room through the still opened window.  
  
She sat down on her bed, and opened up the first one. It was from James, Sirius, and Remus.  
  
She looked curious down at it. 'Why did all three of the Marauders sign it? I thought they were all went to their separate houses,' Lily thought, before opening the letters. It read,  
  
Dear Lilers, It's just us. The 3 Marauders, as always. Peter is here, but he is in the back, trying to chat up the next-door-neighbours daughter. Oh,well. James(me) is the writer. Although Remus and Sirius are over my shoulder, making sure I don't say anything bad about them. Well, I guess your probably wondering why we're all supposedly writing you from the same letter. Well, Remus's parents were going to Romania, and he didn't really want to go, so he is here. Staying at my house until school starts again. And so is Sirius. There really isn't a reason why he is here. He just is. He's basically always here, not that I mind. I guess that about explains it quite well. We just decided to write you and inform you to not owl Remus or Sirius's house. Just send us anything(hint, hint...letter, invitation, money ;) ) here to my house. Well, that's about it. So, how are you enjoying your first half-day of summer? Hopefully it has gone good so far. Well, I will let you go, there is a screaming in the backyard. Probably Peter tried to kiss the neighbour. Until then.  
  
Sincerely, James  
  
Remus Sirius  
  
P.S. Remus says 'Hi' and Sirius says 'HHHHIIII!!!!' We'll never change, will he?  
  
Lily laughed to herself, and shook her head 'No' to James's last question. She decided she would write them back in the morning when she was more relaxed and refreshed.  
  
She suddenly remembered the other letter and opened it up. It was from Chocolate. She smiled, and then her smile turned into a frown as she started to read it.  
  
Dear Lil, My parents are dead, Lil. We were stopping at some Muggle super market. My father was always fond of Muggle shops. Well, I was tired and stayed inside the car. They both went inside, promising to be back soon. Then, after about 10 minutes, the whole store seemed to blow up. Not like a nuclear blow-up(I watch Muggle Telly), but like, there was screaming, bright light, and the whole store seemed to crumble. It was horrible, Lily! Then, I saw 6 or 7 men in black cloaks, heads covered with their hoods, walked out of the ruined store. One of them took out their wands and shot some design into the air. It was some sort-of of skull with a serpent coming out of its' mouth. I had heard of it before. Some dark wizard named Voldemort goes around killing Muggles and Muggle-borns. He favours only pure-bloods. Oh, Lily, what am I gonna do? I am currently at the Muggle police near you. Please, can you come and get me? I have no one else to call, but Sirius, but I don't think he has transportation to get me. I'm at the Central Police Station. I would of walked to your house, but it is dark and scary. Please hurry, Lily. -Chocolate  
  
Lily put her hand to her mouth, and ran to go get her keys. "Mum! Dad! I'm going out for a bit. Be back soon!" Lily yelled. She left before they could answer her back.  
  
She reached the station in 10 minutes flat, and basically ran into the station. "Chocolate!"  
  
"Lily?" Lily heard her name weakly, and followed it to around a corner, and there was Chocolate in the lobby, with multiple used Kleenexes surrounding her. Two emptied boxes laid across from her.  
  
Lily rushed to her cousin and kneeled before her. "Oh, Chocolate. I'm so sorry!"  
  
"Oh, Lily! I-I-I didn't even...even get to say Good-bye to them. I saw them and could of, but I didn't! I didn't even say that I loved them." Chocolate said, sobbing into Lily's shoulder.  
  
Lily was also on the verge of tears. She hated to see her cousin, her best friend in tears, in pain. "It's alright, Chaco. They knew that you loved them. They knew that if you remembered to say good-bye, you would of. They loved you, and you loved them. NEVER put yourself down for that. They would never have wanted their beautiful, talented, creative, unique daughter to do so. I know you don't want to think about it, but they are in a better place now. You must not blame yourself for what happened. As horrible as it may sound, there are some things that are meant to happen. Some things can be good, while others are bad. This is one of those bad times." Lily replied, each crying into each other's shoulders.  
  
After a half-hour of calming each other down, they decided to go to Lily's, where Chocolate would stay as long as she wanted to. Which, Lily's parents would probably force her to live there with them.  
  
"Thank you, Lily." Chocolate said, cracking a tiny weak smile as they both drove towards Lily's house.  
  
"What are best friends/cousins for?" Lily said, slightly cracking a smile back. "P.S. We gave 7 boxes of Kleenex's in storage, just for your disposal."  
  
Chocolate gave a small chuckle. "Never know. I might need 15 boxes in the end."  
  
They grinned slightly at their stupid joke that wasn't really funny, as they pulled into Lily's driveway.  
  
Lily's parents were standing the doorway. Lily noticed that she was popping stress pills into her mouth. "Oh, my God! Lily! Whatever happened to you?" her mother asked loudly, and upon seeing Chocolate, she stopped. "Chocolate? Is that you? Are you crying? My lord, what happened?"  
  
Lily explained because Chocolate was crying into Lily's mother's shoulder.  
  
"Oh, my. I am so sorry, Chocolate. For now on, you will live with us. We have a spare guest room."  
  
"But what would happen to your guests if they came to spend the night?" Chocolate said, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.  
  
"US? Have guests? We scare them away before 20 minutes is up!" her father said, trying to crack a joke.  
  
Chocolate laughed very weakly, and then she smiled. It was a very weak smile, but it was still a smile. "Thank you guys. For everything."  
  
Lily's mother and father both hugged Chocolate. "Anytime, dear. Now, I think we've had enough excitement for one night, and I think you two can handle everything from here. We will leave you alone now."  
  
"Good-night Mr. and Mrs. Evans."  
  
"Good-night," they replied, before disappearing into their room.  
  
"Chocolate, do you want to sleep in your new room? Or would you like to sleep with me in my room? I could make a bed next to my bed."  
  
Chocolate shook her head. "No. I think I will sleep in the gue-, I mean, my new room for tonight."  
  
Lily then hugged her. "Remember, this is the bathroom. You don't want to go into the wrong room. You might end up in Petunia's room." They both shuddered at the mental image they might see if they entered in there.  
  
"Oh, my. I forgot about Sirius and the others. I was going to owl them!"  
  
"Hey! Don't worry about it. We will owl them together in the morning. Here is some night clothes to sleep in for tonight. We will get your stuff from your house tomorrow." Lily said, handing Lily a blue tank top with silk blue pajama bottoms.  
  
Chocolate nodded. "Thanks again, Lily."  
  
"For what?"  
  
"Everything."  
  
"No problem. Don't thank me again. I didn't do that much." Lily smiled before they disappeared into their rooms. = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =  
  
A month later, it was like the Evans had a new daughter. Almost as mischievous and troublesome as Lily, if not more. The newest addition to the family even started to Lily's mother, "mother" because Lily's mother insisted on it. There was even talk of the Evans adopting Chocolate, so she would officially be part of the family.  
  
It was about a week before July 10th, so Lily and Chocolate decided to owl the Marauders about the party.  
  
They day after Chocolate's parents were murdered, they owled the Marauders to inform them of what had happened. Sirius kept on insisting that Chocolate come and live with him, but Chocolate refused. When he asked why not, she answered, "I love you Siri..I really do...But not THAT much. I'd get myself killed." He got heart-broken, but recovered momentarily.  
  
Lily and Chocolate were very excited about the upcoming party. Not about the wearing of the dressed and make-up, but because they were going to see the Marauders. they hadn't seen any of them since they left the train station.  
  
"I miss Sirius..." Chocolate pouted, one slow and boring Saturday.  
  
"I know. Me too...I miss all of them..." Lily replied, throwing a ball back and forth against her wall.  
  
"I know who you miss more!" Chocolate said, in a singy voice.  
  
"And who might that be I might ask?"  
  
"James."  
  
"What? I miss him just as much as the others." Lily replied, lying. She missed him a bit more than she did the others.  
  
"Riiight. So..when you call his name out, in the middle of the night, you don't miss him more? What do you dream about him when he's in your dreams?" Chocolate raised an lone eyebrow before jumping onto the bed, next to Lily.  
  
"I do not dre-..Hey wait a second..How would you know that I said out his name in my dreams, even if I didn't dream about him?"  
  
"Well, whenever you do talk in your sleep, you talk quite loudly."  
  
"Then why doesn't Petunia scream to tell me to shut up?" Lily answered back.  
  
"Have you ever seen her wake up at any noise? She only wakes up when her loud alarm clock goes off. I swear, it could be Judgement Day and she is roasting in hell, and she wouldn't know what the bloody was going on."  
  
They both laughed at their corny joke, and started to talk about the upcoming party events. The 'dream' conversation was casually forgotten.  
  
But Chocolate had not forgotten about it, but she decide that she would let Nature take it's own course and time, no matter how slow it went. If they were meant to be, they were meant to be. If not, then not. But she knew that they were meant for each other. She would just have to wait patiently for it to happen. She just prayed that it would happen soon. Lily had not been so happy in her life, and she knew James could make her even more happy within her life and within her own mind. She just hoped they both would realize it before it was too late. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------ A/N: I know that this is a short chapter. This wasn't even supposed to be the end of this chapter. This is about 15 pages in my notebook. You want to know how many pages this chapter was supposed to be?? 70 pages. You know how long it would take to write it, PLUS going to college, where I HAVE to pass everything? Probably 2 months. I am a fast typist, but not the best and I spell horribly when typing. So, I am sorry I took so long for such a short chapter. I am thinking of scanning the pages, and then converting them into WORD text. I'll see how that is. I am SO SO SO sorry to those who thought this would be a grand chapter. I hopefully will have more time. P.S. I have 50 more pages to type for the next chapter, so please don't expect something soon, unless I drop out of college, and I do not see that happening anytime soon. Sorry again. *starts to whine and hides in a corner* I'll do better next time. I swear I will. *thinks about it* Wasn't that what I said the last time? Oh,well. Laters. 


	8. Chapter Seven: The Second Ball

Disclaimer: I own NOTHING of Harry Potter, inc. Only pocket lent. No money either. Maybe 35 cents. That's it. I swear. P.S. I did swear a bit in this chapter, and if there are any younger viewers who read this, I am sorry. I just had to do that, because it just wouldn't sound right if they didn't. Laters. Better Chapter next time. I hope. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------  
  
Next Chapter  
  
**Day of the Ball**  
  
"Wake up, Lily! You have overslept! We have to start getting ready for the Ball tonight. It may be 10 to 12 hours away, but to us girls, that is not enough. We have to shower, shave, blow-dry our hair, do bras, make-up and etc. Plus, we might even have to help your parents with getting it set up!" Chocolate said, shaking Lily.  
  
"Okay! Okay! I'm up! I'm up! Just give me five more minutes..." Lily replied, turning on her stomach.  
  
"I will not, Lily Nicole Evans. I gave you '5 more minutes' 15 minutes ago." Chocolate said, turning on her fan on High and yanking off Lily's covers.  
  
"Ah! Chaco! Why'd you do that for!?!" Lily exclaimed, jumping up in her bed.  
  
"To get you to do what you just did. Now, get your lazy arse off your bed." Chocolate said, smiling evilly.  
  
"Why you..." Lily smiled evilly back, pouncing and tickling Chocolate.  
  
"Hey! HaHa! Stop it! You know how ticklish I am! Ah!" Chocolate laughed, unable to push Lily off of her.  
  
"I know your ticklish. Why do you think I'm tickling you?" Lily replied, laughing at Chocolate's squirming under her grasp.  
  
Finally, Lily gave up and they both started to get ready for the Ball.  
  
After taking their showers and blow-drying their hair, they disappeared into their own rooms to attempt to do their own make-up.  
  
Within 15 minutes, both resurfaced and decided to do the others' make-up. ((A/N: Apparently, they cannot do their own, but they can do each others? It doesn't make sense...I know...Don't ask me ^_^))  
  
About two hours later and an hour to go before the Ball started, the two were already done with doing everything but putting on their hose and shoes, but decided to do that last, being that they both hated hose and high-heeled shoes. They decided to go find the parents and show-off before the Ball officially started.  
  
They raced each other down the stairs, but stopped suddenly when they found that the living room was already half-full.  
  
The two looked at each other quizzically before starting to try and find the parents again, but without running this time.  
  
"Ah! Lily! Over here!" Lily heard her mother's voice coming somewheres to the right of her and followed it.  
  
Upon finding her mother, she realised she had no shoes on and tried to cover her feet up with her dress. Lily glanced at Chocolate, who was trying to do the same thing.  
  
"My word! Lily! Where are your shoes?" her mother frowned at the two girls, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"Upstairs. Mum, I thought we had an hour before the Ball." Lily whispered.  
  
"Well, apparently it was Daylight Savings Time and you have to turn the clock back an hour. But I forgot about it. Sorry, dears."  
  
"It's okay. Well, have you seen the Marau-..I mean, any three(maybe four) young men come in yet?" Chocolate asked, hopefully. She hadn't seen Sirius almost all summer.  
  
"You mean, your guy friends?"  
  
They both nodded.  
  
"No. I'm sorry. They haven't arrived yet. They'll come sometime soon. Don't fret." her mother patted their shoulders, before returning to her guests. "Oh, Lily, dear. Your father would like to see you sometime tonight when you have a chance too."  
  
"Uh, okay." Lily said, curiously. "I might as well go now. Nothing better to do."  
  
Chocolate nodded. "I'll just stay here to greet the Marauders when they arrive."  
  
"Okay, laters."  
  
"Laters."  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------  
  
"Father? Are you in here?" Lily asked, entering the garden, which was where he liked to go alot whenever they had parties and such. Not that he stayed out there the //whole// time. Just sometimes to get some fresh air for a few minutes.  
  
"Lily? Over here, sweetheart!" someone called from the light shadows, about twenty feet away from her.  
  
She walked towards him, and then she noticed that he wasn't alone. He was talking to a rather tall, ugly, greasy-haired boy, with a rather mischievous perverted look in his eyes.  
  
"Lily, this is one of my colleagues at the University. Daniel, this is my daughter, Lily." her father said, introducing them. Lily looked into her father's eyes, and saw it again.  
  
It was the same look she had seen in the car ride home from the train station that told her that he was up to something mischievous. Then she figured it out. Her father was trying to hook her up!  
  
"Hello. Pleased to meet you, Lily. I've heard so much about you," this 'Daniel' replied, smiling, offering his hand to shake.  
  
"Uh, yes. Hello, Daniel." she replied, hesitantly taking his hand, which was quite sweaty. She tried to pull it back after she took his hand, but found he held onto it. She had to give her hand a big jerk to get it out of his grip.  
  
"Well, father, I let Chocolate in there all alone, and we all know what happens when we leave her alone. Good-bye, Dad. Good-bye Daniel." Lily said, wiping her hand on her skirt. She turned around quickly, and started to walk away.  
  
"Lily!"  
  
She stopped and turned around instantly to see Daniel running to catch up with her. "yes?" she replied, through gritted teeth.  
  
"Your father told me to tell you that you are to show me around your house. I live in a apartment in London, and do not know what it looks like in a normal English household."  
  
"Fine. Follow me." she said, walking back to the house, with Daniel close behind.  
  
----------------------  
  
"Okay, this is my cousin Chocolate's room. It was really our guest room, but her parents passed away, and she lived with us now." Lily said, starting at the end of the hallway.  
  
"This..." she replied, pointing to the next door, "is our bathroom. And this is my older sister's room, Petunia."  
  
Daniel was just following her and nodding along, not saying anything. Lily after a while, decided that he wasn't saying because he was staring at her.  
  
"And this...this is my room. Okay, that's it." Lily said quickly, wanting to leave very badly.  
  
"Wait one more second. Could I have a peek to see what a regular room looks like? I only saw the guest room, and your sister's door was closed, so I couldn't see into see what it was like." Daniel asked, getting a bit //too// close for Lily to stand. Mind you, he smelled like a mixture of lavender, onions, and garlic.  
  
Lily shivered in disgust at his smell, and in attempt to get away from him, she opened her door and went inside. "Okay, now you've seen it. Let's go now. I don't like strangers in my room."  
  
"Thank you, Lily, for that small tour. Oh, I was wondering, do you think we could go for a walk later on in the night?" Daniel said, trying to get a bit too close to her.  
  
She shrugged and closed the door in his face. She sighed, and then sprayed her entire room with something that was rumoured to kill all odors. It worked, and she sighed again with relief.  
  
Then anger struck her. How dare her father try to set her up with someone? And someone like that! It wasn't that she hated or disliked this Daniel just because he was ugly, unattractive, and smelly (Well, yeah, but still), it was mainly the looks that Daniel had been giving her throughout the first time he met her and while she was giving the tour of her house. The looks that said 'If-I-weren't-at-your-father's-house-and-still-trying-to- seduce-you,-I-would-rape-you-in-a-blink-of-an-eye'.  
  
Lily shivered in disgust once again before slumping against her door slightly when she heard someone approaching her door. They knocked.  
  
Lily was in too much of a bad mood already to answer it nicely anymore.  
  
"What?" she snapped angrily at the person on the other side.  
  
"Oh, Sorry. Didn't mean to get you upset." it responded, familiar. Lily recognised it immediately. James!  
  
Lily threw open the door and it was him. She smiled greatlyJames thought she was seriously going to kill him for some reason or another, and he his face in his arms and she started to hug the dear life out of him.  
  
"Oxygen! Oxygen!" he yelped.  
  
She smiled remorsefully, and let him go. "Sorry," she replied, bashfully. "I was just happy to see you."  
  
"No problem," he smiled back, now massaging his now softly aching neck, "Same here. But, why so happy?"  
  
Lily explained about everything, from her fathers' "arraignment", Daniel, his smell, and his //look// he had been giving her.  
  
"So //THAT// was the smell I smelled when coming up this way. Well, you don't worry. I will later on inform the Marauders, and if he tries anything, we will hurt ('or kill,' he thought) him." James added, "So, the rest are waiting for you downstairs. Oh, by the way, you look beautiful, Lily."  
  
"And you look handsome."  
  
"So, I guess we're even?" he replied.  
  
"Even on what?" she asked, confused.  
  
He shrugged. "I don't know. Just seemed like the right thing to say at the time."  
  
They both laughed at it, and went downstairs to meet the others, when they heard a door open. They turned around and saw two people come out of Petunia's room. One bony horse-face one, and one elephant of a man. Petunia and Vernon. Both dressed up.  
  
Petunia turned towards them, and frowned very big. If she was a man, she'd be the best British guard in the world. "What are you two doing, freaks?"  
  
"Starting to join the party downstairs." Lily simply replied, walking infront of them.  
  
"You mean to tell me, that there are going to be more than one freaks of nature at this party?" Petunia hissed at both of them, but more at Lily. Obviously, Petunia recognised that James was a wizard.((A/N: I don't know how))  
  
Lily turned her head towards Petunia and smiled. "Yep. Five witches and wizards. Doesn't that just make your day, lovely sister?"  
  
Petunia screamed under her breath. "I will not let you and your freak friends ruin this night for me, freak."  
  
James was getting rather fed up with Petunia, and spoke up. "No. We won't ruin it. You will. You already have, actually. The moment you opened your door AND your mouth, you ruined it for everybody here."  
  
It took a few seconds for it to sink into her brain about what he had just said, and she screamed this time. "Fuck you, wizard-freak."  
  
"No thank you." James replied, trying to keep a straight face. Lily couldn't and didn't have that much strength and she was laughing behind a masked hand.  
  
They were all surprised to see that Vernon was not saying anything, and when they turned around to look, they understood why.  
  
((A/N: This is gross, but I couldn't think of anything else to say. Plus, I get mental images all the time, and it was gross just imagining it)) Vernon was apparently drunk, you could smell the liquor coming off of him because he was kissing a 75-year old man, whom he thought was Petunia. Or he thought was sexy and just couldn't pass it up.  
  
"Vernon!" Petunia screamed before dragging him back to her room. "What the bloody hell-" was all they heard before she slammed her door hard, probably shaking the walls slightly.  
  
They laughed in disgust when they finally got to their senses. James was wondering something. "What was wrong with your sister? Why does she hate you and apparently any witches or wizards?"  
  
"Apparently, Petunia got jealous whenever I got my letter to Hogwarts because my mum and dad were quite excited when I did. Not that she liked me before the letter. She was always into girlie things, I wasn't. I was some- what tom-boy. She always liked lipstick, blush, etc., I didn't. She always tried to get me to wear dressed and such, but I would always escape her. That's probably why. Plus, I'm the best in all studies, and my parents favourite." Lily replied, as they joined the party.  
  
"I see," as James followed her into the party. He noticed Sirius right off the bat. He was over by a far wall, facing it. James was curious at what exactly he was doing, so he and Lily went over to where he was standing. "What'ca doing Siri?"  
  
"They don't move!" he said excitedly, pointing at the pictures on the wall. A few middle-aged near him, looked at Sirius like he was crazy and went away to another wall.  
  
"What!?" James asked, getting rather excited as well. He just remembered that he was in a real Muggle house. A house with no magical items. "They don't move? Wow!"  
  
Lily laughed and shook her head at the two boys, who both seemed like a kid who had just conquered the art of shoe-tying.  
  
"What's so funny, Lily?" Chocolate replied from behind, closely followed by Remus.  
  
"Remus! Heyas! How was your summer?" Lily asked. Lily told Chocolate that the two boys had never seen a non-moving Muggle picture before. She nodded.  
  
"I would most defiantly say hectic. Have you ever lived with 2 boys, who acted like they were 2-year olds all the time?"  
  
"Well, not exactly. But I do know some." Lily said, sarcastically, nudging James with her elbow.  
  
"Me too. Well, imagine living with 2 two-year olds, who can not get enough pranks done or concoted." Lily and Chocolate shivered. "Exactly," he replied, smiling. "What about you two? I bet you two act like 2 year olds together."  
  
The two girls laughed. "What? Us? Like 2 year olds? You must be joking. We are two fine, well-educated, young, talented women with no time for childish games and recreational activities."  
  
After they said that, James and Sirius's eyes were finally torn away from the non-moving pictures, each having a raised eyebrow. "You two? You must be joking."  
  
"Hey Lily." Sirius said, going back to the pictures," whose this? Ha Ha Ha. She sort-of looks like a horse."  
  
Lily broke out laughing. "That's my sister."  
  
"Oh. I'm sorry. I didn't-"  
  
"No. It's fine. I second that opinion. She does look like one, doesn't she?" Lily was laughing so hard, she had tears flowing.  
  
While Lily was trying to gather up her senses, James and Chocolate took the time to explain to Remus and Sirius that her sister, Petunia was prejudiced against witches, so they shouldn't expect a warm welcome from her.  
  
"Wow. I didn't know that there were people prejudiced against us. Oh,well. I guess that shows what I know about the world." Sirius said, tapping his head.  
  
"Yep," they all replied, smiling before continuing, "Nothing."  
  
"Hey!" Sirius laughed, pouncing them all. ((A/N: Whenever I say Sirius is pouncing them, the mental image of him in a Tigger outfit comes to mind ^o^..Don't know why ^_^))  
  
After a few minutes, and they were straightening their hair and clothes, they all heard a snort of disgusted laughter from behind.  
  
They all turned to see Lily's sister, petunia, closely followed by her new boyfriend, Vernon, who seemed to be a bit less drunk than before because he was trying to kiss Petunia and not a 75-year old again.  
  
The rest of the Ball seemed to fly by as the 5 of them told each other about all their pranks and jokes they had played on each other, or that they made for the Slytherins on their upcoming 7th year. Their last year at Hogwarts.  
  
About a hour and a half before the Ball ended, Lily felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around to come face-to-face with Daniel. She screamed at him inside of her head. She was enjoying being with the gang again, and now he had to come around.  
  
"Lily. Do you think we could take a walk outside? I really need some fresh air." he said, that evil, perverted look still fresh in his murky grey eyes.  
  
She sighed in defeat. "Sure..But I have to be back in 15 minutes...I...uh..I...I am helping my friends with some...um...school homework, right, guys?" Lily replied, adding some emphasis on the last few words.  
  
"Oh. Right. Homework. Study, study, study. That's all we ever do." Sirius said loudly. Lily was right. They could never lie all that well. Or atleast Sirius couldn't very well.  
  
"Oh, Uh, Sure. No problem." Daniel said, lending Lily his arm, who took it reluctantly.  
  
When they were outside, there was a long silence between her and Daniel.  
  
"So..." Lily said, finally.  
  
"So.." Daniel replied, not knowing what to say. But he did know what he was going to do. The, he turned and leaned over and kissed her. Not a peck, but like a car-crashing-into-a-wall kiss.  
  
He pushed her hard against a wall, and started to kiss her neck.  
  
"What the bloody hell do you think you're doing?! Get off me, arsehole!" Lily gasped, angrily trying to push him away. But even though he was skinny and gawky, he was really quite strong and he kept her in his grasp.  
  
"No." he replied, gruffly. He then started to feel her up, against her will.  
  
"Yes!" she spat in his face, before kneeing him as hard as she could in his groin.  
  
He growled viciously, removed one of his hand and slapped her hard across the face, knocking her to the ground.  
  
"How dare you, you little-" he started, but didn't finish as he was thrown through the air by some invisible force.  
  
Right behind where Daniel was, stood James, wand in hand, extremely angry. "Lily!" James exclaimed, running to her. "Lily! Are you alright?"  
  
Lily looked up at him, her face red where he had struck her at, tears in her eyes. "He-he-he was trying to-to-to.."  
  
James bent down and wiped away her tears. "It's okay, baby. Your alright now."  
  
"Is he...dead?" Lily asked, hopefully, looking towards the heap of a man by a far garden wall.  
  
"Nope. Just unconscious, unfortunately."  
  
"I'm just glad that you decided to bring your wand, even after I told you to do no magic with it."  
  
"But I didn't even use it. I was just very angry and my mind just sort-of did it for me."  
  
"Really? But why'd you get so angry? Okay. That was a stupid question. I'm a close friend. You would be angry also if something like that would happen to any of your friends." Lily said, weakly smiling before rubbing her now- red eyes.  
  
"Of course that's the reason why. You are important and special to me, and to everybody else. Just be glad that he didn't ;do' anything, or that breathing guy over there would be doing no more." James said, pointing again at the heap over by the wall, which his chest was going up and down very slowly.  
  
Lily laughed weakly, and let James help her up to her feet. She put her hand up and slightly touched her face. It felt hot under her touch, and it didn't hurt, but she did feel a slight tingly feeling when she did.  
  
"I'm sorry I wasn't here sooner." James said, as they took their time to rejoin the party.  
  
That struck in her mind a question she should of thought of earlier, but didn't. "How DID you know what was going to happen?"  
  
"Well, while we were back in the party, and he had come up to us, I had seen him from a distance, watching you. It wasn't an innocent stare, it was one of those stares you give to someone when you are engrossed or in love with someone, but not supposed to be."  
  
"Well, sort-of the looks that Rita gives you all the time?" Lily said, laughing. James shuddered.  
  
"Or the looks Snape gives you?" James retaliated. It was Lily's turn to shudder. James laughed.  
  
"Well, anyways, he was doing that for a while, and I knew what he was thinking, after all, because I AM a guy, and I really wanted to kill there, but that would look bad infront of your guests, so I restrained myself. And when you accepted to go have a walk with him, that 'look' in his eyes sort- of, I don't know, intensified. I //knew// something was going to happen, so when you two left, I bid the group good-bye and followed you two, stayed in the shadows, until I knew for sure that what I saw was correct about him." James continued.  
  
Then Lily sort-of hug-pounced him. "I'm glad that you did. I never know what could have happened if you didn't."  
  
"Same here. Well, don't you worry, Lils. I'll always be here. So will the others. We all have to protect each other from the evils of the world. First of all, your sister."  
  
They both laughed, and joined the party. They decided they shouldn't keep all that just happened to themselves, so they decided to tell their friends. Lily would have a talk with her father after the party.  
  
When they met their friends, they pulled them into an empty room and explained everything to them.  
  
"I knew it! I just knew it!" Chocolate exclaimed, making a fist. "Argh! Where is he? Where is he? I want to put my martial arts to the test!"  
  
"Martial what?" the three Marauders asked, confused.  
  
"Oh, nevermind." Chocolate replied, in defeat.  
  
They shrugged and the 3 boys told the two girls that they would be right back, and left them.  
  
Lily and Chocolate looked at the disappearing boys suspiciously. They both then nodded to each other and followed them, knowing that the little wheels in their heads were churning. "Pranks," they mouthed to each other before leaving the room.  
  
When they left the room, they already saw that the Marauders were already up to something because they were slowly advancing into the general direction of Daniel, all in different spots in the room.  
  
"Now, what are they up to..." Lily faded out.  
  
The two girls watched the three boys closely as they saw their hands move with something in it. Their wands.  
  
All of the sudden, there was a loud pop noise, and a lot of smoke. When the smoke cleared, where Daniel stood was still Daniel. Sort-of. Boils and pimples filled every empty space on his face and any skin showing. He was now wearing a pink-and-black teddy, and had a big white bushy tail. He had black ballerina flats on, with the string tying up to his calves. To finish it, he had a headband on, that had a Hershey's wrapper on it and a flower on a Lily(to represent Chocolate and Lily).  
  
The people surrounding him gave a huge shriek and clambered as fast as they could away from him. Daniel had a dumb-founded look on his face at the scattering people and had no idea what was happening. He turned around and around himself, trying to see what was happening. "What? What? What's going on?" he kept asking, trying to get a clear answer out of the people still around him. Then, the terrified shriek turned into enormous laughter. Someone finally must have decided to do pity on him, so they pointed at him. Daniel looked quizzically down at himself and gave his own shriek. A rather girlie one.  
  
Lily and Chocolate turned away at the disgusting image before them but they were almost in tears. Almost as funny as the escapade at the Hogwarts garden. Almost.  
  
"What the-" Daniel barely got out, getting finally over the initial shock of it all. He glanced up and saw three boys so-called 'casually' walk away from the scene of the crime. Then he saw James. He knew that he was the one who had knocked him out before; he had woken up right as they were leaving the garden area. How he wanted to kill him, but didn't get the chance to because how would be impress Lily's father by getting into a fight? Daniel was going to get him back now. Why? Well, with the current ensemble he was now wearing and looking like, he probably lost ALL chances with Lily/ And that made it that he no longer had to impress her father anymore.  
  
"Why you-" Daniel yelled, quickly making a grab for James's shirt, and successfully grabbed it. Daniel jerked back his arm towards him(with James in his grasp), causing James to crash into Daniel, knocking them both to the ground, hard.  
  
"Ow!" Daniel yelped as James fell across his stomach, knocking the breath out of him.  
  
James quickly tried to crawl away, but Daniel managed to take ahold of his foot and kept his grip. "Oh no you don't..." Daniel gasped out, jumping James, landing on his back.  
  
James screamed in pain. James kicked Daniel off of him, and ran away. James hated to be the one chickening out of a fight, but his anger was getting rather out of control, and who could say what could happen if he had a clean, clear shot of the thing that was making him so angry? Anger + magic + fight= Not a very good combination.  
  
James started to leave the house, but Lily's father ran infront of him, blocking the entrance. " Oh no you don't. You may be my daughters bets friend, but you don't come into my party, and ruin it for everybody. I am going to call the police."  
  
"YOU WILL NOT!!" someone screamed from behind, apparently very angry.  
  
"Huh?" James and her father replied at the same time, turning towards the voice. They came face-to-face with a //very// angry Lily, her red hair //very// bright red.  
  
"You will NOT call the police on him, father. He did not ruin the party for everybody, but HE did..." Lily growled, turning to point straight at Daniel.  
  
"What? What are you talking about? But your friend here was-" her father started, but he got stopped short. "And why is your face so red, Lily?"  
  
Lily just kept on pointing at Daniel again. "His fault again."  
  
"Lily. Explain yourself right now, or the police I will call." her father demanded, sternly.  
  
Lily motioned her father in a lone room and told him everything about what Daniel did, about James coming and rescuing her, and about how her friends were really mad about it and wanted revenge.  
  
After she got finished, there was a long, paused silence that filled the room. "I had no idea," her father responded, after a few moments. Lily just simply nodded, hoping he still didn't want to cal the police on James anymore.  
  
"Uh, Lily. I..uh..I'm..er..sorry. I had absolutely no idea that Daniel tried that. It is hard for me to believe that about him. But now that I think about it, it seems like he would, since everything on his papers and notebooks has a L+D on it. I think //I// messed the whole party up." her father sat down in a chair, head in his hands.  
  
"Oh, Daddy. You didn't mess it up at all. Not one bit. Daniel did. And I'm sorry that he didn't turn out the way you wanted him to be like. Well, the only thing left that we can do now is to go back and tell everybody still here that the police won't be called on James...right?" Lily asked.  
  
She received no answer from her father, who got up quickly. "That reminds me," he muttered before leaving.  
  
//Oh,no. I hope he's not calling the Popo((A/N: Popo=police)).'//Lily thought, frantically, chasing behind him.  
  
When she entered, she saw James sitting in a chair, and Daniel was sort-of smirking in the direction of James.  
  
"Don't you move!" her father's loud voice boomed throughout the room, making a few jump.  
  
James opened his mouth to protest. "But I didn't m-" he started.  
  
"Not you! YOU!" her father said, pointing at Daniel.  
  
Daniel's smirk vanished. "What? Me? What did I do?"  
  
"I wonder." Lily said, outloud. When people stared at her, she realised she had said that outloud, she blushed bright red. "Ooops."  
  
Her father took no mind of it, and dragged Daniel's sorry arse out the door. "You better go ahead and drop out any of my classes you were thinking of taking this next upcoming semester."  
  
"Why are you doing this, Mr. Evans? What did I do wro-" he started, but stopped when it hit him, he realised that Lily had told him everything that happened. He then realised that Lily's father was not upset about the fight or about what his current 'ensemble' had been, but what he had done to Lily before. He then realised that he had ruined all chances with lily just because of him kissing her, and doing other...things.  
  
"Would you care for me to give you a demonstration?" her father spat, his hands going into semi-fists, taking a step towards Daniel.  
  
"Uh, no, Mr. Evans. I'm very sorry for everything that I did tonight. I do not know what came over me. Your daughter is so intelligent, so smart, so beautiful. If you had been a guy my age, I can bet you'd do the same."  
  
"I WAS a guy your age. and I did NOT do any of those things. Plus, thank you for confirming me." Lily's father replied, crossing his arms.  
  
"What? What are you talking about?" Daniel replied, thinking maybe he would not like to know what the answer that he was about to receive.  
  
"Well, to tell you the truth, I did not believe Lily at first, when she told me about what you did. You had been one of my most smartest students. But, then again, I did not really //know// you that much, so I had to test you, sort-of."  
  
"Go on."  
  
"Well, when I asked you to get out of my house because of what you had done, I was waiting for you to decline that you had done anything. If you had, I would of believed you. But if you didn't decline it, I would then know that what my daughter told me was the truth. And you didn't, so that told me that my daughter WAS telling me the truth about you, after all." Lily's father continued.  
  
"You mean, I could of lied and all would be well between me and you?"  
  
Her father smiled grimly, then nodded.  
  
"You sneaky little bastard," Daniel replied, frowning, then he turned to Lily, "You WILL be mine, one day or another. You make a note of that. No matter what. Or else." Daniel looked at both Lily's father and James as he said the last words. Then Daniel turned around and left to go find his car, and drove away, tires squealing.  
  
Lily shuddered at the thought of her being his girl, mostly at the thought of ANY girl being his. Lily didn't seem to notice that James shuddered at the thought also.  
  
Her father turned around to face James, with an apologetic face. "Oh, Uh, James..I'm..er..really sorry. I really had no idea. You know...I knew him well, sort-of..and you...I didn't know anything about you except that you were a close friend of my daughters...I thought that-" he was saying, but James waved a hand to cut him off.  
  
"It's alright, Mr. Evans, I do understand. I am rather mature in some topics. I can dare say that I can be quite immature, but I do know my limits." James replied.  
  
Lily's father only nodded slightly, patted him on his back, and proceeded back into the house.  
  
James was confused. He whispered to Lily, "So, did I do good? Am I now on your father's good side now?"  
  
Lily smiled and nodded affirmly. "Yes you are. I just suggest that we ALL should stay away from him. Just for safety pre-cautions."  
  
"Do you think it will happen?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"You'll ever be his? Daniel's?" James asked, sort-of between whispering and regular talking.  
  
"Hell no. I'd rather be with Severus Snape than with Daniel. And if I said that, you'd have to know that it was bad." Lily replied, pretending to throw-up.  
  
James mimicked the gesture and they both laughed. "Well, the party should be ending in about 20 minutes, so let's go and enjoy the rest of the party before then. I, probably with Sirius also, would really like a tour of your house to show us all your Muggle contraptions."  
  
Lily smiled and hugged his shoulders. "No problem. That's the least I can do for a close friend, who just basically saved my life."  
  
James poofed out his chest, proudly. "Yes. I am special, aren't I? Well. To tell you the truth..I am sort-of low on money...like...uh, 200 dollars..." James said, smiling jokingly.  
  
Lily raised an eyebrow at him. "Riiight."  
  
They both laughed once again, and entered back into the house, to give the showing of the 'Muggle' house tour. ((A/N: Have you all noticed that Lily and James always laugh alot? Why is that? I just noticed it...))  
  
"Hey Padfoot. Lily's going to give us a full tour of her house." James said, wanting to add some dramatic effect, "Full of Muggle stuff."  
  
Sirius and James's faces both lit up like a fire, but Remus did not as much, because he had to live in the Muggle world when he was smaller in age.  
  
After they got done with the tour, and got back downstairs, everybody had left already.  
  
"I guess that means we have to live as well." the three Marauders all pouted their lips, and batted their eyes.  
  
The two girls were unaffected. "That doesn't work on us girls. Only when we do it to you all, that it does."  
  
They pouted a bit more, before smiling. "Okay. Maybe we can meet each other at Diagon Alley when you all go to get your school supplies? We'd like to see you before school starts."  
  
They shrugged and said, "Maybe."  
  
"You two are so mean. You know that?" they replied back.  
  
Chocolate and Lily bowed to them. "When did you realise that?"  
  
They all laughed and they said good-bye to them all. Chocolate went outside with Sirius and Remus, while James stood back a few minutes to say good-bye to Lily.  
  
"James. I want to thank you again for everything that you did tonight for me. How will I ever repay you?" Lily said, seriously.  
  
"But you already did. With the house tour-" James replied.  
  
"No. I am serious James. If you had not been there, I don't know what he would have done." Lily answered back.  
  
James smiled, and moved a piece of her red hair out of her eyes. "Nothing, Lily. Just knowing that you are safe, is the best thing you can do for me."  
  
Lily smiled and hugged him. He smiled back and hugged her back.  
  
"Okay. Now, //I// need oxygen." Lily choked out.  
  
James laughed and promised to keep in touch with her and Chocolate, so that they could maybe see each other again before school started. If not, then they would meet them in their regular compartment on the train.  
  
Lily nodded and went back inside the house. Looking at the almost ruined house, at all the trash and debris, she sighed, telling herself she would do it in the morning.  
  
Chocolate entered into the house a few minutes after she had entered. She walked towards Lily. "Are you alright? You've been through hell and back tonight." Chocolate asked, concerned.  
  
Lily nodded. "I think we should go to sleep. I think we'll have a full day tomorrow cleaning this pig sty up tomorrow."  
  
Chocolate laughed as they made their way up to their rooms. "Good-night, Lily."  
  
"Good-night, Chaco." Lily smiled, before they disappeared into their rooms. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------  
  
A/N: Okay. I hate ending Chapters because I suck arse at it. Excuse my language, but I do. Okay. I have bad and good news. I have NOTHING in my notebook for the next chapter. And like I said before, I am trying to pass all my classes with D's and up...so I can not promise you that the next chapter will be coming any time soon. I hate it when people wait months before posting another chapter, but I understand it. Oh, by the way, how bad did that chapter suck? Please tell me. I'd really like to know. I know my spelling is horrible too. Sorry. More later(Hopefully). 


	9. Chapter Eight: DA

Lily yawned sleepily, as she rolled out of her bed. She groggily looked at her bedside clock, telling her that it was 7:58 a.m. She and Chocolate were going to go to Diagon Alley at noon that day.  
  
She woke up quiet earlier than usual, because she decided that she'd owl the boys and tell them to meet them there. It usually took an hour to reach them, and an hour to get a reply to the letter. She grabbed a clean parchment out of her desk, and neatly wrote a short, but crisp letter to the Marauders:"  
  
M, W (?), P, P, We are going to Diagon Alley at noon. Meet us if you can. -Lily and Chaco "  
  
She sealed it, before attaching it to her cousin's owl's leg. "Hurry," she whispered to the owl, who took off out the open window.  
  
She sighed, breathing in the rather cool crisp air that the summer breeze provided, before proceeding to get dressed.  
  
Lily then proceeded to leave her room, to go wake up Chocolate.  
  
"Chocolate, honey. Time to get up. Remember? We have to go to Diagon Alley today." Lily said, shaking her very gently. She sat down on the edge of the bed, next to Chocolate's rather still form.  
  
"Uh....no...No, mummy...I don't want to go today...Let's go later," Chocolate muttered, obviously still asleep.  
  
Lily chuckled softly, gazing down at her sleeping best friend and cousin, and smiled.  
  
Chocolate had been through a lot. Losing her parents, and all. But, she was still here, slowly getting through it all.  
  
"Chaco. Wake up, dear. We don't want the Marauders' little fan club to get to Diagon Alley first, now do we? Who tells what could happen..." Lily whispered closely to Chocolate's ear.  
  
Chocolate shot straight up in her bed, while Lily broke into little bouts of laughter. "What? What? Their fan club? Oh I'll-"  
  
"Chaco, wait. I was only joking. But seriously, we're probably going to meet them at noon, so you might need to get up already." Lily said, hugging Chocolate. "By the way, good morning."  
  
Chocolate smiled slightly, her eyes still closed because they had not yet adjusted to the light. "Good morning to ye as well." Lily checked her watch. "Okay. It's 10:10 now. Let's be ready to go at 10 till 11 o'clock." "Why 11 o'clock? I thought we were meeting the boys there at noon."  
  
"Yes, we still are. -But- they will probably not ever give us a chance to do our school shopping done, and it might be better if we got it done -before- they got there." Lily said, matter-of-factly. Chocolate thought about it for a moment, before nodding. "I guess your right." Lily smiled. "See you in about 40 minutes," she said, leaving the room.  
  
When it was time to go, they went to the fireplace, where they had decided earlier to use Floo Powder to save time. Lily was about to throw some in, when Chocolate told her to stop. Lily looked at her cousin, confused. "What?"  
  
"Have you noticed that we've known the Marauders for a year now? I mean, I can't believe it. I think this is a world record." Chocolate chuckled softly.  
  
Lily laughed. "I believe it probably is one. Well, we'll celebrate with them when we meet them today at that Sundae Place there. I always forget its' name."  
  
"Yeah. I need something sweet. I am still not awake," Chocolate muttered, before yawning loudly as Lily threw in the Floo Powder, taking a step into the fireplace.  
  
As she was about to say 'Diagon Alley', there was a sudden burst of ash right into her face, causing her to cough. "Diagon-cough, cough-Alley!" she called out, as she went through the fireplace.  
  
She finally got there, but it was at some place that she had never seen before. It was dark, murky, and overly spooky-looking. She rubbed her eyes to remove the soot, when she realized that she was in some type of store, and by overlooking some the items that were in the room that she was in, she could tell she was located in a wizard shop, but it didn't look like something that would be held in Diagon Alley. Then, it hit her. Maybe she was in Knockturn Alley.  
  
She was starting to turn around to go back through the fireplace, because she still had some left over Floo Powder in her hand, when she heard some rustling behind her.  
  
Since she was on the floor, she turned her head suddenly, meeting cloak black, almost antique robes. She lifted her head some more, revealing Severus Snape.  
  
"Well, well, well. What do we have here? Ms. Lily Evans. And in Knockturn Alley of all places." he said, smirking slightly.  
  
//He's gotten more rude, I can tell you that for sure, // she thought, as she got to her feet. "Before I answer your question, answer mine first. Why exactly are -you- here?"  
  
"This," he informed her, waving his hand slightly, indicating the store. "This is my father's store. I help him whenever I have the spare time to do so. Now, answer mine."  
  
She turned halfway, giving him the view of the fireplace. "Through that. I meant to say 'Diagon Alley', but I coughed mid-sentence. It took me here instead."  
  
"Ah. Yes. That's happened before. Although, unfortunately, they end up in the stores that are...let's say...extremly unpleasant. They are usually never the same (-sane-) person again, in a sense. Just be glad that you entered here. This is probably the only store that still has a sane staff. Well, anyhow. Follow me. I'll lead you out the sane way." Severus impatiently said, already starting to make a leave of the store.  
  
Lily was, of course, curious what types of storesand items, but she had enough common sense to know that you just don't do that here. Especially in Knockturn Alley. -Especially- not if you were not a fully trained wizard yet.  
  
After a series of twists and turns, she finally saw the light that she recognized as Diagon Alley.  
  
She turned around, smiling very softly. "Thanks, Severus."  
  
He tipped an imaginary hat at her. "No problem, Evans. Just please do make sure next time you say it right? I might not be there next time to save your neck." On that note, he spun around on his heel, disappearing back into the shadows.  
  
She gave a sigh, as she entered familiarity. Diagon Alley, at last.  
  
"LLLIIILLLYYY!!!!" someone screamed at the top of her lungs, making Lily jump half a foot into the air.  
  
She turned on her heel to see Chocolate running full speed at her, the Marauders close behind.  
  
Lily smiled, as her cousin did a huge bear-hug more of an attack on Lily. "Arc you alright? What happened to you?" she said, looking at all the soot that covered her.  
"Well, I got transported to Knockturn Alley, landing in a store that is owned by Severus' father. Severus was there, and he helped me leave safely."  
  
"Wicked! Knockturn Alley??!! Bloody wickedness! You're such a lucky duck, Lils! So...what's it like? We've never been in there before. We've tried multiple times. They won't let us in there. They say we're too 'young'." they replied sarcastically, emphasizing on the 'young' part.  
  
"Well, compared to what I saw in there, we -all- are."  
  
"But, we're going to be in our bloody seventh year! We've got to have some fun!" James replied, feigning a shocked expression.  
  
Lily and Chocolate rolled their eyes at the boys, turning around. Lily replied, "Well, if going through a place where you aren't sure whether the old witches are holding trench fries, fingernails, or real people's fingers as fun...Then, by all means, go have a blast. You have my blessings."  
  
The girls heard three boys swallow hard, and giggled as they walked a few steps ahead of them.  
  
"Was what you say true? You know, about the things you saw?" Chocolate whispered into Lily's ear.  
  
"No. I just wanted to give them a bit of a scare, so they wouldn't be tempted to do it," she answered back, "But I wouldn't put it past Knockturn Alley."  
Chocolate nodded, giggling slightly as they went to get all their school supplies.  
  
When they got all their 'necessary' supplies out of the way, they went to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor to get some ice cream sundaes.  
  
When they had got them, they went to take a corner booth in the back of the store.  
  
"So, you guys. How was your summer?" Lily asked, sipping her spoon into her banana strawberry sundae.  
  
Lily then noticed that Peter was not there, again. "Hey. Where's Peter at?"  
  
They shrugged. "No idea. He told us, right after the party, that he was just going to go on home to his own home. We haven't heard or seen him since. Mind you, we've tried contacting him, but we've never gotten a reply yet." Remus answered, swirling his spoon in his own plain chocolate sundae.  
  
"Yeah. But about our summer? Oh. Very boring. Doing nothing at all." Sirius added, a mischievous look in his eyes that was reproduced in the other two boys' eyes.  
  
Lily and Chocolate both rolled their eyes at the boys. Chocolate sarcastically replied, "Sure. Whatever you say. I bet that you did -nothing- all summer long. Nothing at all."  
  
They nodded innocently. //A bit -too- innocently- if you ask me, // Lily mentally thought, raising an eyebrow at them.  
  
"Why are you looking at us like that? Don't you believe we were actually innocent for the whole summer?" they asked. There was a paused silence. "No. Not really." They hmphed, and looked away, turning their heads up at them. "Fine. Don't believe us..."  
  
"Okay..."  
  
They frowned, their brows furrowing. They glanced at each other. "They know us too well..."  
  
"Yes! And now you must die!" Sirius exclaimed dramatically, jumping up in his seat, pointing his vanilla covered spoon at the girls'. They raised an eyebrow, getting their wands out and pointing it at him. "ER... Okay... May be not..." he said, getting back down, as they all laughed. They laughed as they finished up their sundaes.  
  
They were on their way back, to use the Floo Powder, when they ran head long into Severus Snape, Lucius Malfoy, and Luapa Flint, all Slytherins in their year.  
  
"Pleasure seeing you again, Evans." Severus hissed at Lily, who should have known that he wasn't going to be nice to her with -them- around. Them meaning her friends or his friends.  
  
"Likewise," she snapped back, seeing a sparkle of gratefulness in his eyes, as he silently thanked her for not revealing that he had helped her earlier. It was well known that Lucius would not tolerate any of his groupies to help Gryffindors, much less anybody less than Pure-Bloods.  
  
Lucius sneered at them all, flicking a strand of his white-blond hair out of his face, narrowing his hard grey eyes. "Watch where you're walking Mud- Blood. I don't feel like taking another bath today."  
  
James reached for his wand, but Lily gave a warning glare at him. "Don't. He's not worth it. We all know the he had to -pay- his way into the school. They wouldn't let him in the school on his own. Pure-blood or not."  
  
Lucius snarled, spun around and left, he would deal with them later. He always got his revenge. He was quickly followed by his friends.  
  
James turned towards Lily, confused. "Lily? Why did you stop me from cursing away his arse for calling you that... that name?"  
  
"Because, James Llyn Potter, we are not supposed to use magic outside of the school. Besides, why waste valuable on -him-? Besides, I don't -care- what they say. I am better than all of them put together. Have you seen their test scores compared to mine? You would think that -I- was the pure- blood, and not so-called 'Mud-blood'."  
  
James sighed, glaring at the back of Lucius as they left. "I guess your right. But it was still wrong, Lils."  
  
"I know, James. Now, let's get a move on. I really am wasted. This has been a very productive day for me." Lily said, smiling at her friends.  
  
"I second that," Chocolate and Remus said, as they trudged up to the fireplace.  
  
"I third it." Sirius squeaked in, returning from the bathroom. "By the way, James, why are you so mad looking? What happened while I was away?"  
  
They told him everything.  
  
"WHAT!!!!???? AND YOU DIDN'T COME AND GET ME', SO I COULD BLOW AWAY HIS PALE ARSE?" Sirius gritted his teeth, growling.  
"Whoa, Honey. I didn't know you hated him -that- much," Chocolate said, grabbing his arm to calm him down.  
Sirius calmed down, kissing her forehead. He nodded. "I do. I hate him with all my guts. I'll kill him one of these days. Mark my words." Sirius replied, more under his breath than to anyone.  
"But why?" Lily and Chocolate asked. James nodded. "Yeah. I'd like to know why you hate him so much. I am supposed to hate him because of two things. He is a Slytherin and the Slytherin Seeker at that. But, why do -you- hate him?"  
  
Sirius gulped, looking at Remus slightly, who seemed to back up an inch, "I have my reasons. I'll tell you one of these days, but right now, it is not the time. Now, I am pooped. Let's move it."  
  
Lily blinked, looking at Remus. She wanted to ask him what was all the matter, but he looked to distraught to give her a complete answer. He always seemed to change the subject when a person asked him anything when it came to him being in this mood, and when he didn't reel like revealing anything of himself. She made a mental note to ask him later on someday.  
  
They nodded, reaching the fireplace. They hugged the boys, and promised to meet each other on the train. Same time. Same place.  
  
Lily took a back glance at Remus and the others. Sirius had a hand on his shoulder, as if doing so would calm the nervous look on his weary face. Lily narrowed her eyes slightly. /There is just something wrong here, and I will find out sooner or later, / she thought, as she left through the fireplace.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------- ((A/N: Okay, Okay. I know what your saying/typing/thinking. Sorry arse place to leave a story off. But you don't know how hard it was to even pick up the notebook and start writing something because it was to even pick up the notebook and start writing something because it was terms and finals, and all that goodie fun college stuff -_-. So, I might as well tell you this now. I am no longer in college for the summer, but..I don't know how long it will be to update the next chapter. What I am trying to say is for you to not come back religiously every other day for an update, because there will probably not be one for at least a month. I am horrible with writing now. Maybe it was because I didn't know what to write in-between the years? I don't know. If you have any ideas, please tell me. I don't care how much you say you 'love this story', I hate it with a vengeance. It could also be that thing where the author always criticizes their own works. I guess I am one of those authors, but this story really does suck. No offense to the people who think that it doesn't suck, but it does. Anyways, if you still think it doesn't suck, I would come back and check at the end of June. I -might- have another update then. -Hopefully-.)) 


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